TOKYO 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


LEGENDS,    ' 


TRADITIONS  AND  LAWS, 


OF  THE 


IROQUOIS.OIISIX  NATIONS, 


AND 


OF  THE 


TUSCARORA  INDIANS. 


BY 

ELIAS   JOHNSON, 

A  NATIVE  TUSCARORA  CHIEF. 


LOCKPORT,  N.  Y.: 

UNION  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING  CO.,   (O.   W.   CUTLER,    PRES'T.) 

1881. 


iuteirkd  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1881,  by  ELIAS  JOHNSON, 
in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


INTRODUCTION, 


"  A  book  about  Indians  !" — who  cares  anything  about  them  ? 

This  will  probably  be  the  exclamation  of  many  who  glance 
on  my  little  page.  To  those  who  know  nothing  concerning 
them,  a  whole  book  about  Indians  will  seem  a  very  prosy  affair, 
to  whom  I  can  answer  nothing,  for  they  will  not  proceed  as  far 
as  my  Preface  to  see  what  reasons  I  can  render  for  the  seem- 
ing folly. 

But  to  those  who  are  willing  to  listen,  I  can  say  that  the  In- 
dians are  a  very  interesting  people,  whether  I  have  made  an 
interesting  book  about  them  or  not. 

The  Antiquarian,  the  Historian,  and  the  Scholar,  have  been 
a  long  time  studying  Indian  character,  and  have  given  plenty 
of  informarion  concerning  the  Indian,  but  it  is  all  in  ponder- 
ous volumes  for  State  and  College  libraries,  and  quite  inacces- 
sible to  the  multitude — those  who  only  take  up  such  book  as 
may  be  held  in  the  hand,  sitting  by  the  fire, — still  remain  very 
ignorant  of  the  Children  of  Nature  who  inhabited  the  forests 
before  the  Saxon  set  his  foot  upon  our  shores. 

There  is  also  a  great  deal  of  prejudice,  the  consequence  of 
this  ignorance,  and  the  consequence  of  the  representations  of 
your  forefathers  who  were  brought  into  contact  with  the  Indi- 
ans, under  circumstances  that  made  it  impossible  to  judge  im- 
partially and  correctly. 

The  Histories  which  are  in  the  schools,  and  from  which  the 
first  impressions  are  obtained,  are  still  very  deficient  in  what 

M123187 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

they  relate  of  Indian  History,  and  most  of  them  are  still  filling 
the  minds  of  children  and  youth,  with  imperfect  ideas.  I  have 
read  many  of  the  Histories,  and  have  longed  to  see  refuted  the 
slanders,  and  blot  out  the  dark  pictures  which  the  historians 
have  wont  to  spread  abroad  concerning  us.  May  I  live  to  see 
the  day  when  it  may  be  done,  for  most  deeply  have  I  learned 
to  blush  for  my  people. 

I  thought,  at  first,  of  only  giving  a  series  of  Indian  Biogra- 
phies, but  without  some  knowledge  of  the  government  and  re- 
ligion of  the  Iroquois,  the  character  of  the  Indians  could  not 
be  understood  or  appreciated. 

I  enter  upon  the  task  with  much  distrust.  It  is  a  difficult 
task  at  all  times  to  speak  and  to  write  in  foreign  language,  and 
I  fear  I  shall  not  succeed  to  the  satisfaction  of  myself,  or  to 
my  readers. 

My  title  will  not  be  so  attractive  to  the  American  ears,  as  if 
it  related  to  any  other  unknown  people.  A  tour  in  Arabia, 
or  Spain,  or  in  India,  or  some  other  foreign  country,  with  far 
less  important  and  interesting  material,  would  secure  a  greater 
number  of  readers,  as  we  are  always  more  curious  about  things 
afar  off. 

I  might  have  covered  many  pages  with  "  Indian  Atrocities," 
but  these  have  been  detailed  in  other  histories,  till  they  are 
familiar  to  every  ear,  and  I  had  neither  room  nor  inclination 
for  even  a  glance  at  war  and  its  dark  records. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 


To  anim'ate  a  kinder  feeling  between  the  white  people  and 
the  Indians,  established  by  a  truer  knowledge  of  our  civil  and 
domestic  life,  and  of  our  capabilities  for  future  elevation,  is  the 
motive  for  which  this  work  is  founded. 

The  present  Tuscarora  Indians,  the  once  powerful  and  gifted 
nation,  after  their  expulsion  from  the  South,  came  North,  and 
were  initiated  in  the  confederacy  of  the  Iroquois,  and  who  for- 
merly held  under  their  jurisdiction  the  largest  portion  of  the 
Eastern  States,  now  dwell  within  your  bounds,  as  dependent 
nations,  subject  to  the  guardianship  and  supervision  of  a  peo- 
ple who  displaced  their  forefathers.  Our  numbers,  the  cir- 
cumstances, of  our  past  history  and  present  condition,  and  more 
especially  the  relation  in  which  we  stand  to  the  people  of  the 
State,  suggest  many  important  questions  concerning  our  future 
destiny. 

Being  born  to  an  inauspicious  fate,  which  makes  us  the 
inheritors  of  many  wrongs,  we  have  been  unable,  of  ourselves, 
to  escape  from  the  complicated  difficulties  which  accelerate 
our  decline.  To  make  worse  these  adverse  influences,  the  pub- 
lic estimation  of  the  Indian,  resting,  as  it  does,  upon  the  im- 
perfect knowledge  of  their  character,  and  infused,  as  it  ever  has 
been,  with  the  prejudice,  is  universally  unjust. 

The  time  has  come  in  which  it  is  no  more  than  right  to  cast 
away  all  ancient  antipathies,  all  inherited  opinions,  and  to  take 
a  nearer  view  of  our  social  life,  condition  and  wants,  and  to 
learn  anew  your  duty  concerning  the  Indians.  Nevertheless, 


8  PREFACE. 

the  embarrassments  that  have  obstructed  our  progress,  in  the 
obscurity  which  we  have  lived,  and  the  prevailing  indifference 
to  our  welfare,  we  have  gradually  overcame  many  of  the  evils 
inherent  in  our  social  system,  and  raised  ourselves  to  a  degree 
of  prosperity.  Our  present  condition,  if  considered  in  connec- 
tion with  the  ordeal  through  which  we  have  passed,  shows  that 
there  is  the  presence  of  an  element  in  our  character  which 
must  eventually  lead  to  important  results. 

As  I  do  not  profess  that  this  work  is  based  upon  authorities, 
a  question  might  arise  in  the  breast  of  some  reader,  where 
these  materials  were  derived,  or  what  reliance  is  to  be  placed 
upon  its  contents.  The  credibility  of  a  witness  is  known  to 
depend  chiefly  upon  his  means  of  knowledge.  For  this  reason, 
I  deem  it  important  to  state,  that  I  was  born  and  brought  up 
by.Tuscarora  Indian  parents  on  their  Reservation  in  the  Town 
of  Lewiston,  N.  Y.  From  my  childhood  up  was  naturally  in- 
quisitive and  delighted  in  thrilling  stories,  which  led  me  to  fre- 
quent the  old  people  of  my  childhood's  days,  and  solicited 
them  to  relate  the  old  Legends  and  their  Traditions,  which 
they  always  delighted  to  do.  I  have  sat  by  their  fireside 
and  heard  them,  and  thus  they  were  instilled  upon  my  young 
mind.  I  also  owe  much  of  my  information  to  our  Chief,  JOHN 
MT.  PLEASANT.  I  have  also  read  much  of  Indian  history, 
and  compared  them  with  our  LEGENDS  and  TRADITIONS. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


THE  IROQUOIS. 


NATIONAL    TRAITS   OF   CHARACTER. 

In  all  the  early  histories  of  the  American  Colonies,  in  the 
rstories  of  Indian  life  and  the  delineations  of  Indian  character, 
these  children  of  nature  are  represented  as  savages  and  barba- 
rians, and  in  the  mind  of  a  large  portion  of  the  community  the 
sentiment  still  prevails  that  they  were  blood-thirsty,  revenge- 
ful, and  merciless,  justly  a  terror  to  both  friends  and  foes. 
Children  are  impressed  with  the  idea  that  an  Indian  is  scarcely 
human,  and  as  much  to  be  feared  as  the  most  ferocious  animal 
of  the  forest. 

Novelists  have  now  and  then  clothed  a  few  with  a  garb 
which  excites  your  imagination,  but  seldom  has  one  been  in- 
vested with  qualities  which  you  would  love,  unless  it  were  also 
said  that  through  some  captive  taken  in  distant  war,  he  inher- 
ited a  whiter  skin  and  a  paler  blood. 

But  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  Indians  are  not  alone  in  be- 
ing savage — not  alone  barbarous,  heartless,  and  merciless. 

It  is  said  they  were  exterminating  each  other  by  aggressive 
and  devastating  wars,  before  the  white  people  came  among 
them.  But  wars,  aggressive  and  exterminating  wars,  certainly, 
are  not  proofs  of  barbarity.  The  bravest  warrior  was  the  most 
honored,  and  this  has  been  ever  true  of  Christian  nations,  and 
those  who  call  themselves  Christians  have  not  yet  ceased  to 
look  upon  him  who  could  plan  most  successfully  the  wholesale 


10  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

sfeu'gfofdr'of  h'^fnafi  Tieif-gs,  as  the  most  deserving  his  king's  or 
his  country's  laurels.  How  long  since  the  pean  died  away  in 
praise  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  ?  What  have  been  the  wars 
in  which  all  Europe,  or  of  America,  has  been  engaged,  that 
there  has  been  no  records  of  her  history  ?  For  what  are  civi- 
lized and  Christian  nations  drenching  their  fields  with  blood  ? 

It  is  said  the  Indian  was  cruel  to  the  captives,  and  inflicted 
unspeakable  torture  upon  his  enemy  taken  in  battle.  But 
from  what  we  know  of  them,  it  is  not  to  be  inferred  that  Indi- 
an Chiefs  were  ever  guilty  of  filling  dungeons  with  innocent 
victims,  or  slaughtering  hundreds  and  thousands  of  their  own 
people,  whose  only  sin  was  a  quiet  dissent  from  some  religious 
dogma.  Towards  their  enemies  they  were  often  relentless, 
and  they  had  good  reason  to  look  upon  the  white  man  as  their 
enemy.  They  slew  them  in  battle,  plotted  against  them  se- 
cretly, and  in  a  few  instances  comparatively,  subjected  individ- 
uals to  torture,  burned  them  at  the  stake,  and,  perhaps,  flayed 
them  alive.  But  who  knows  anything  of  the  precepts  and 
practices  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Christendom,  and  quote  these 
things  as  proofs  of  unmitigated  barbarity. 

At  the  very  time  that  the  Indians  were  using  the  tomahawk 
and  scalping-knife  to  avenge  their  wrongs,  peaceful  citizens  in 
every  country  of  Europe,  where  the  Pope  was  the  man  of  au- 
thority, were  incarcerated  for  no  crime  whatever,  and  such  re- 
finement of  torture  invented  and  practiced,  as  never  entered 
in  the  heart  of  the  fiercest  Indian  warrior  that  roamed  the  wil- 
derness to  inflict  upon  man  or  beast. 

We  know  very  little  of  the  secrets  of  the  inquisition,  and 
this  little  chills  our  blood  with  horror.  Yet  these  things  were 
done  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the  Savior  of  the  World,  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  and  not  savage,  but  civilized.  Christian  men 
looked  on,  not  coldly,  but  rejoicingly,  while  women  and  child- 
ren writhed  in  flames  and  weltered  in  blood.  Were  the  atro- 
cities committed  in  the  vale  of  Wyoming  and  Cherry  Valley 
unprecedented  among  the  Waldensian  fastnesses  and  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1 1 

mountains  of  Aurvergne?  Who  has  read  Fox's  book  of  Mar- 
tyrs, and  found  anything  to  parallel  it  in  all  the  records  of  In- 
dian warfare  ?  The  slaughter  of  St.  Bartholomew's  days,  the 
destruction  of  the  Jews  in  Spain,  and  the  Scotch  Covenanters, 
were  in  obedience  to  the  mandates  of  Christian  princes, — aye, 
and  some  of  them  devised  by  Christian  women  who  professed 
to  be  serving  God,  and  to  make  the  Bible  the  man  of  their 
counsel. 

It  is  said  also  that  the  Indians  were  treacherous,  and  more, 
no  compliance  with  the  conditions  of  any  treaty,  was  ever  to 
be  trusted.  But  the  Puritan  fathers  cannot  be  wholly  exoner- 
ated from  the  charge  of  faithlessness ;  and  who  does  not  blush 
to  talk  of  Indian  traitors  when  he  remembers  the  Spanish  in- 
vasion and  the  fall  of  the  princely  and  magnanimous  Monte- 
zuma? 

Indians  believed  in  witches,  and  burned  them,  too.  And 
did  not  the  sainted  Baxter,  with  the  Bible  in  his  hand,  pro- 
nounce it  right,  and  was  not  the  Indian  permitted  to  be  pres- 
ent, when  the  quiet  unoffending  woman  was  cast  into  the  fire, 
by  the  decree  of  a  Puritan  council? 

To  come  down  to  the  more  decidedly  Christian  times,  it  is 
not  so  very  long  since,  in  Protestant  England,  hanging  was  the 
punishment  of  a  petty  thief,  long  and  hopeless  imprisonment 
of  a  slight  misdemeanor,  when  men  were  set  up  to  be  stoned 
and  spit  upon  by  those  who  claimed  the  exclusive  right  to  be 
called  humane  and  merciful. 

Again,  it  is  said,  the  Indian  mode  of  warfare  is,  without  ex- 
ception, the  most  inhuman  and  revolting.  But  I  do  not  know 
that  those  who  die  by  the  barbed  and  poisoned  arrow  linger  in 
any  more  unendurable  torment  than  those  who  are  mangled 
with  powder  and  lead  balls,  and  the  custom  of  scalping  among 
Christian  murderers  would  save  thousands  from  groaning  days, 
and  perhaps  weeks,  among  heaps  that  cover  victorious  fields 
and  fill  hospitals  with  the  wounded  and  dying.  But  scalping 
is  not  an  invention  exclusively  Indian.  "  It  claims,"  says  Pres- 


12  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

cott,  "  high  authority,  or,  at  least,  antiquity."  And,  further 
history,  Herodotus,  gives  an  account  of  it  among  the  Scythi- 
ans, showing  that  they  performed  the  operation,  and  swore  the 
scalp  of  their  enemies  taken  in  battle,  as  trophies,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  North  American  Indian.  Traces  of  the  custom 
are  also  found  in  the  laws  of  the  Visigaths,  among  the  Franks, 
and  even  the  Anglo  Saxons.  The  Northern  Indians  did  not 
scalp,  but  they  had  a  system  of  slavery,  of  which  there  are  no 
traces  to  be  found  among  the  customs,  laws,  or  legends  of  the 
Iroquois. 

Again,  it  is  said,  "  They  carried  away  women  and  children 
captive,  and  in  their,  long  journey  through  the  wilderness,  they 
were  subjected  to  heartrending  trials." 

The  wars  of  Christian  men  throw  hundreds  and  thousands 
of  women  and  children  helpless  upon  the  cold  world,  to  toil,  to 
beg,  and  to  starve. 

This  is  not  so  bright  a  picture  as  is  'usually  given  of  people 
who  have  written  laws  and  have  stores  of  learning,  but  people 
cannot  see  in  any  place  that  the  coloring  is  too  dark  !  There 
is  no  danger  of  painting  Indians  so  they  will  become  attractive 
to  the  civilized  people. 

There  is  a  bright  and  pleasing  side  to  the  Indian  character, 
and  thinking  that  there  has  been  enough  written  of  their  wars 
and  cruelties,  of  the  hunter's  and  fisherman's  life,  I  have  sat 
down  at  their  fireside,  listened  to  their  legends,  and  am  ac- 
quainted with  their  domestic  habits,  understand  their  finer 
feelings  and  the  truly  noble  traits  of  their  character. 

It  is  so  long  now  since  they  were  the  lords  of  this  country, 
and  formidable  as  your  enemies,  and  they  are  so  utterly  wast- 
ed away  and  melted  like  snow  under  the  meridian  sun,  and 
helpless,  that  you  can  sit  down  and  afford  to  listen  to  the 
truth,  and  to  believe  that  even  your  enemies  had  their  virtues. 
Man  was  created  in  the  image  of  God,  and  it  cannot  be  that 
anything  human  is  utterly  vile  and  contemptible. 

Those  who  have  thought  of  Indians  as  roaming  about  in  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  13 

forests  hunting  and  fishing,  or  at  war,  will  laugh,  perhaps,  at 
the  idea  of  Indian  homes,  and  domestic  happiness.  Yet  there 
are  no  people  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge,  among  whom, 
in  their  primitive  state,  family  ties  and  relationship  were  more 
distinctly  defined,  or  more  religiously  respected  than  the  Iro- 
quois. 

The  treatment  which  they  received  from  the  white  people, 
whom  they  always  considered  as  intruders,  aroused,  and  kept 
in  exercise  all  their  ferocious  passions,  so  that  none  except 
those  who  associated  with  them  as  missionaries,  or  as  captives, 
saw  them  in  their  true  character,  as  they  were  to  each  other. 

Almost  any  portrait  that  we  see  of  an  Indian,  he  is  repre- 
sented with  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  in  hand,  as  if  they 
possessed  no  other  but  a  barbarous  nature.  Christian  nations 
might  with  equal  justice  be  always  represented  with  cannon 
and  balls,  swords  and  pistols,  as  the  emblems  of  their  employ- 
ment and  their  prevailing  tastes. 

The  details  of  war  are  from  far  to  great  a  portion  of  every 
History  of  civilized  and  barbarous  nations,  to  conquer  and  to 
slay  has  been  to  long  the  glory  of  the  Christian  people  ;  he 
who  has  been  most  successful  in  subjugating  and  oppressing, 
in  mowing  down  human  beings,  has  too  long  wore  the  laural 
crown,  been  too  long  an  object  for  the  admiration  of  men  and 
the  love  of  women. 

It  seems  you  might  be  weary  of  the  pomp  and  circumstance 
of  war,  of  princely  banquets,  and  gay  cavalcades.  The  time 
and  space  you  bestow  upon  King  and  courts,  and  the  homage 
you  pay  to  empty  titles,  are  unworthy  your  professed  repub- 
lican spirit  and  preferences,  let  us  turn  aside  from  the  war 
path,  and  sit  down  by  the  hearth-stone  of  peace. 

In  the  picture  which  I  have  given,  I  have  confined  myself 
principally  to  the  Iroquois,  or  Six  Nations,  a  people  who  no 
more  deserve  the  term  savage,  than  the  whites  do  that  of 
heathen,  because  they  have  still  lingering  among  them  heathen 
superstitions,  and  many  opinions  and  practices  which  deserves 
no  better  name. 


14  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

The  cannibals  of  some  of  the  west  Indies  Islands,  and  the 
Islands  of  the  Pacific,  may  with  justice  be  termed  savage,  but  a 
people  like  the  Iroquois  who  had  a  goverment,  established 
offices,  a  system  of  religion  eminently  pure  and  Spiritual,  a 
code  of  honor  and  laws  of  hospitality,  excelling  those  of  all 
other  nations,  should  be  considered  something  better  than 
savage,  or  utterly  barbarous. 

The  terrible  torture  they  inflicted  upon  their  enemies,  have 
made  their  name  a  terror,  and  yet  there  were  not  so  many 
burnt,  hung,  and  starved  by  them,  as  perished  among  Christian 
nations  by  these  means.  The  miseries  they  inflicted  were 
light,  in  comparison,  with  those  they  suffered.  If  individuals 
should  have  come  among  you  to  expose  the  barbarities  of  sav- 
age white  men,  the  deeds  they  relate  would  quite  equal  any- 
thing known  of  Indian  cruelty.  The  picture  an  Indian  gives 
of  civilized  barbarism  leaves  the  revolting  custom  of  the  wil- 
derness quite  in  the  back-ground.  You  experienced  their  re- 
venge when  you  had  put  their  souls  and  bodies  at  a  stake,  with 
your  fire-water  that  maddened  their  brains.  There  was  a  pure 
and  beautiful  spirituality  in  their  faith,  and  the-ir  conduct  was 
much  more  influenced  by  it,  as  are  any  people,  Christian  or 
Pagan. 

Is  there  anything  more  barbaric  in  the  annals  of  Indian  war- 
fare, than  the  narrative  of  the  Pequod  Indians?  In  one  place 
we  read  of  the  surprise  of  an  Indian  fort  by  night,  when  the 
inmates  were  slumbering,  unconscious  of  any  danger.  When 
they  awoke  they  were  wrapped  in  flames,  and  when  they  at- 
tempted to  flee,  were  shot  down  like  beasts.  From  village  to 
village,  from  wigwam  to  wigwam,  the  murderers  proceeded, 
"  being  resolved,"  as  your  historian  piously  remarks,  "  by  God's 
assistance,  to  make  a  final  destruction  of  them,"  until  finally  a 
small  but  gallant  band  took  refuge  in  a  swamp.  Burning  with 
indignation,  and  made  sullen  by  dispair,  with  hearts  bursting 
with  grief  at  the  destruction  of  their  nation,  and  spirits  galled 
and  sore  at  the  fancied  ignominy  of  their  defeat,  they  refused 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  15 

to  ask  life  at  the  hands  of  an  insulting  foe,  and  preferred  death 
to  submission.  As  the  night  drew  on,  they  were  surrounded 
in  their  dismal  retreat,  volleys  of  musketry  poured  into  their 
midst,  until  nearly  all  were  killed  or  buried  in  the  mire.  In 
the  darkness  of  a  thick  fog  which  preceded  the  dawn  of  day,  a 
few  broke  through  the  ranks  of  the  beseigers  and  escaped  to 
the  woods. 

Again,  the  same  historian  tells  us  that  the  few  that  remain- 
ed, "  stood  like  sullen  dogs  to  be  killed  rather  than  to  implore 
mercy,  and  the  soldiers  on  entering  the  swamp,  found  many 
sitting  together  in  groups,  when  they  approached,  and  resting 
their  guns  on  the  boughs  of  trees,  within  a  few  yards  of  them, 
literally  filled  their  bodies  with  bullets."  But  they  were 
Indians,  and  it  was  pronounnced  a  pious  work.  But  when  the 
Gauls  invaded  Italy,  and  the  Roman  Senators,  in  their  purple 
robes  and  chairs  of  State,  sat  unmoved  in  the  presence  of  bar- 
barian conquerors,  disdaining  to  flee,  and  equally  disdaining 
to  supplicate  for  mercy,  it  is  applauded  as  noble,  as  dying  like 
statesmen  and  philosophers.  But  the  Indians  with  far  more 
to  lose  and  infinitely  greater  provocation,  sits  upon  his  mother 
earth  upon  the  green  mound,  beneath  the  canopy  of  Heaven, 
and  refuses  to  ask  mercy  of  civilized  fiends,  he  is  stigmatized 
as  dogs,  spiritless,  and  sullen.  What  a  different  name  has 
greatness,  clothed  in  the  garb  of  Christian  princes  and  sitting 
beneath  spacious  domes,  gorgeous  with  men's  device,  and  the 
greatness,  in  the  simple  garb  of  nature,  destitute  and  alone 
in  the  wilderness. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  character  of  Alexander  of  Macedon 
who  "  conquored  the  world,  and  wept  that  he  had  no  more  to 
conquer,"  to  compare  with  the  noble  qualities  of  king  Philip  of 
Mt.  Hope,  and  among  his  warriors  are  a  long  list  of  brave 
rnen  unrivalled  in  deeds  of  heroism,  by  any  of  ancient  or  mod- 
eofc^story.  But  in  what  country,  and  by  whom  were  they  hun- 
ted, tortured,  and  slain,  and  who  was  it  that  met  together  to 
rejoice  and  give  thanks  at  every  species  of  cruelty  inflicted 


1 6  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

upon  those  who  were  fighting  for  their  wives,  their  children, 
their  homes,  their  alters  and  their  God.  When  it  is  recorded 
that  "  men,  women  and  children,  indiscriminately,  were  hewn 
down  and  lay  in  heaps  upon  the  snow,"  it  is  spoken  of  as  do- 
ing God's  service,  because  they  were  nominally  heathen.  "  Be- 
fore the  fight  was  finished,  the  wigwams  were  set  on  fire,  and 
into  those,  hundreds  of  innocent  women  and  children  had 
crowded  themselves,  and  perished  in  the  general  conflagra- 
tion." And  for  those  thanksgivings  were  sent  up  to  heaven,, 
the  head  of  Philip  is  strung  upon  a  pole,  and  exposed  to  the 
public.  But  this  was  not  done  by  savage  warriors,  and  the 
crowd  that  huzzaed  at  the  revolting  spectacle,  assembled  on 
the  Sabbath  day,  in  a  Puritan  church,  to  listen  to  the  Gospel 
that  proclaims  peace  and  love  to  all  men.  His  body  was  liter- 
ally cut  in  slices  to  be  distributed  among  the  conquerors,  and 
a  Christian  city  rings  with  acclamation. 

In  speaking  of  thrs  bloody  contest,  one  who  is  most  eminent 
among  the  fathers,  says :  "  Nor  could  they  cease  praying  unto 
the  Lord  against  Philip,  until  they  had  prayed  the  bullet 
through  his  heart."  "Two  and  twenty  Indian  captives  were 
slain,  and  brought  down  to  hell  in  one  day."  "  A  bullet  took 
him  in  the  head,  and  sent  his  cursed  soul  in  a  moment  amongst 
the  devils  and  blasphemers  in  hell  forever." 

Masasoit,  the  father  of  Philip,  was  the  true  friend  to  the 
English,  and  when  he  was  about  to  die,  took  his  two  sons,. 
Alexander  and  Philip,  and  fondly  commended  them  to  the 
kindness  of  the  new  settlers,  praying  them  the  same  peace  and 
good  will  might  be  between  them,  that  had  existed  between 
him  and  his  white  friends.  Upon  mere  suspicion  only  a  short 
time  afterwards,  the  elder,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  ruler, 
among  his  people,  was  hunted  in  his  forest  home,  and  dragged 
before  the  court,  the  nature  and  object  of  which  he  could  not 
understand.  But  the  indignity  which  was  offered  him,  and  the 
treachery  of  those  who  insulted  him,  so  chafed  his  proud  spirit 
that  a  fever  was  the  consequence,  of  which  he  died.  And  that 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  I/ 

is  not  all.'  The  son  and  wife  of  Philip  were  sold  into  slavery, 
(as  were  also  about  eight  hundred  persons  of  the  Tuscaroras, 
and  also  many  others  of  the  Indians  that  were  taken  captive 
during  the  Colonial  wars.)  "  Yes,"  says  a  distinguished  orator, 
(Everett,)  "  they  were  sold  into  slavery,  West  Indian  slavery. 
An  Indian  princess  and  her  child,  sold  from  the  cold  breezes  of 
Mount  Hope,  from  a  wild  freedom  of  New  England  forest,  to 
drop  under  the  lash,  beneath  the  blazing  sun  of  the  tropics." 

Bitter  as  death,  aye,  bitter  as  hell  !  Is  there  anything — I  do 
not  think  in  the  range  of  humanity — is  there  any  animal 
that  would  not  struggle  against  this?  Nor  is  this  indeed  alL 
A  kinswoman  of  theirs,  a  Princess  in  her  own  right,  Wetamore 
Pocasset,  was  pursued  and  harrassed  till  she  fell  exhausted  in 
the  wilderness,  and  died  of  cold  and  starvation.  There  she 
was  found  by  men  professing  to  be  shocked  at  Indian  barbar- 
ity, her  head  severed  from  her  body,  and  carried  bleeding  upon 
a  pole  to  be  exposed  in  the  public  highways  of  the  country, 
ruled  by  men  who  have  been  honored  as  saints  and  martyrs. 

"  Let  me  die  among  my  kindred,"  "  Bury  me  with  my  fath- 
ers," is  the  prayer  of  every  Indian's  heart ;  and  the  most  deli- 
cate and  reverential  kindness  in  the  treatment  of  the  bodies  of 
the  dead,  was  considered  a  religious  duty.  There  was  nothing 
in  all  their  customs  that  indicated  a  barbarism  so  gross  and 
revolting  as  these  acts,  which  are  recorded  by  New  England 
historians  without  a  censure,  while  the  Indian's  protests  in  his 
grief,  at  seeing  his  kindred  dishonored  and  his  religion  reviled, 
are  stigmatized  as  savage  and  fiendish. 

If  all,  or  even  a  few  who  ministered  among  them  in  ho,ly 
things,  had  been  like  Eliot,  who  is  called  "  the  Apostle  to  the, 
Indians,"  and  deserved  to  be  ranked  with  the  Apostle  of  old, 
or  Kirkland,  who  is  endeared  to  the  memory  of  every  Iroquois 
who  heard  his  name,  it  could  not  have  become  a  proverb  or  a 
truth  that  civilization  and  Christianity  wasted  them  away. 

They  were,  not   by  one,  but   many,    unscrupulously  called 

(2) 


1 8  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

"  dogs,  wolves,  bloodhounds,  demons,  devils  incarnate,  hell- 
hounds, fiends,  monsters,  beasts,"  always  considering  them  in- 
ferior beings,  and  scarcely  allowing  them  to  be  human,  yet  one, 
who  was  at  that  time  a  captive  among  them,  represents  them 
as  "  kind  and  loving  and  generous ;"  and  concerning  this  same 
monster — Philip — records  nothing  that  should  have  condemned 
him  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  believed  in  wars  aggressive  and 
defensive,  and  awarded  honors  to  heroes  and  martyrs  and  con- 
querors. 

By  the  Governor  of  Jamestown  a  hand  was  severed  from  the 
arm  of  a  peaceful,  unoffending  Indian,  that  he  might  be  sent 
back  a  terror  to  his  people  ;  and  through  the  magnanimity  of  a 
daughter  and  king  of  that  same  people,  that  colony  was  saved 
from  destruction.  It  was  through  their  love  and  trust  alone 
that  Powhatan  and  Pocahontas  lost  their  forest  dominions. 

Hospitality  was  one  of  the  Indians'  distinguishing  virtues, 
and  there  was  no  such  thing  among  them  as  individual  starva- 
tion or  want.  As  long  as  there  was  a  cup  of  soup,  it  was  di- 
vided. If  a  friend  or  a  stranger  made  a  call  he  was  welcome  to 
all  their  wigwams  would  furnish,  and  to  offer  him  food  was  not 
merely  a  custom,  for  it  was  a  breach  of  politeness  for  him  to 
refuse  to  eat  however  full  he  might  be. 

Because  their  system  not  being  like  the  white  people's,  it 
does  not  follow  that  it  was  not  a  system.  You  might  have 
looked  into  the  wigwam  or  lodge  and  thought  everything  in 
confusion,  while  to  the  occupants,  there  was  a  place  for  every- 
thing, and  everything  in  its  place  ;  each  had  a  couch  which 
answered  for  bed  by  night  and  seat  by  day.  The  ceremonies 
at  their  festivals  were  as  regular  as  in  the  churches,  their  rules 
of  war  as  well  defined  as  those  of  christain  nations,  and  in 
their  games  and  athletic  sports  there  was  a  code  of  honor 
which  it  was  disgraceful  to  violate  ;  their  marriage  vows  were 
as  well  understood,  and  courtesy  as  formally  practiced  at  their 
Dances. 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  10 

The  nature  of  the  Indian  is  in  all  respects  like  the  nature  of 
any  other  nation  ;  placed  in  the  same  circumstances,  he  exhib- 
its the  same  passions  and  vices.  But  in  his  forest  home  there 
was  not  the  same  temptation  to  great  crimes,  or  what  is  term- 
ed the  lesser  ones,  that  of  slander,  scandal,  and  gossip,  as  ex- 
ists among  civilized  nations. 

They  knew  nothing  of  the  desire  of  gain,  and  therefore  were 
not  made  selfish  by  the  love  of  hoarding  ;  and  there  was  no 
temptation  to  steal,  where  they  had  everything  in  common, 
and  their  reverence  for  truth  and  fidelity  to  promises,  may  well 
put  all  the  nations  of  Christendom  to  shame. 

I  have  written  in  somewhat  of  the  spirit  which  will  charac- 
terize a  History,  by  an  Indian,  yet  it  does  not  deserve  to  be 
called  Indian  partiality,  but  only  justice  and  the  spirit  of  human- 
ity ;  or,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  say  it,  the  spirit  with  which  any 
Christian  should  be  able  to  consider  the  character  and  deeds  of 
his  foe.  I  would  not  detract  from  the  virtues  of  your  fore- 
fathers. They  were  at  that  time  unrivalled,  but  bigotry  and 
superstition  of  the  dark  ages  still  lingered  among  them,  and 
their  own  perils  blinded  them  to  the  wickedness  and  cruelty  of 
the  means  they  took  for  defence. 

Four,  and  perhaps  two  centuries  hence,  I  doubt  not,  some  of 
your  dogmas  will  seem  unchristian,  as  the  Indians  seem  to  you, 
and  I  truly  hope,  ere  then,  all  wars  will  seem  as  barbarous,  and 
the  fantastic  dress  of  the  soldiers  as  ridiculous,  as  you  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  representing  the  wars  and  the  wild  drap- 
ery of  the  Indians  of  the  forest. 

How  long  were  the  Saxon  and  Celt  in  becoming  a  civilized 
and  Christian  people?  How  long  since  the  helmet,  the  coat  of 
mail,  and  the  battle  axe,  were  laid  aside  ? 

To  make  himself  more  terrific,  the  Briton  of  the  days  of 
Henry  II  drew  the  skin  of  a  wild  beast  over  his  armor  with 
the  head  and  ears  standing  upright,  and  mounted  his  war-horse 
to  go  forth  crying,  "To  arms!  Death  to  the  invader!"  The 


20  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

paint  and  the  Eagle  plume  of  the  Indian  warrior  were  scarcely 
a  more  barbarous  invention,  nor  his  war-cry  more  terrible. 

It  is  not  just  to  compare  the  Indian  of  the  fifteenth,  with  the 
Christian  of  the  fifteenth  century.  But  compare  them  with  the 
barbarian  of  Britain,  of  Russia,  of  Lapland,  and  Tartary,  and 
represent  them  as  truly  as  these  nations  have  been  represented, 
and  they  will  not  suffer  by  the  comparison. 


'Ji  CAPTIVE'S  LIFE  >MOt(G  INDIANS. 

ILLUSTRATED   BY   THE   LIFE   OF  THE   "  WHITE   WOMAN 


To  be  taken  captive  by  the  Indians,  was,  among  the  early 
colonists,  considered  the  most  terrible  of  all  calamities,  and  it 
was  indeed  a  fearful  thing  to  become  the  victim  of  their  re- 
venge. But  those  who  were  enduring  the  actual  sufferings  of 
captivity,  or  suffering  still  more  from  terror  of  uncertain  evils, 
thought  little  of  the  provocation  given  by  the  white  people. 
The  innocent  suffered  for  the  guilty,  and  however  persevering 
—I  suppose  the  efforts  of  the  government  to  be  just — in  its 
infancy,  in  a  wild  unknown  country  it  was  impossible  to  con- 
trol unprincipled  marauders.  Some  atrocious  act  was  first 
committed  by  white  men,  which  drove  the  Indian  to  retalia- 
tion, and  thinking  pale  faces  were  all  alike,  he  did  not  wait  till 
the  real  offender  fell  into  his  hands. 

When  the  white  men  first  came,  the  Indian   looked  upon 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  21 

them  as  superior  beings.  They  were  ready  to  worship  Colum- 
bus and  his  little  party,  and  all  others  along  the  coast,  until 
their  simple  trust  was  outraged  beyond  endurance,  they  wel- 
comed the  strangers,  gave  them  food  when  they  were  hungry, 
and  sheltered  them  when  they  were  cold.  It  was  not  till  their 
encroachments  became  alarming,  that  the  Indians  asserted 
their  rights,  and  if  in  all  cases  they  had  been  as  justly  and 
kindly  dealt  with  as  by  the  Quakers  of  Pennsylvania,  there 
would  not  have  been  so  dark  a  record  of  sins,  wrongs  and  tor- 
tures. If  none  but  men  of  principle  had  made  treaties  with 
them,  and  all  whose  duty  it  was  to  observe  them,  had  kept 
their  faith,  revenge  had  not  come  out  so  prominently  in  Indian 
character. 

But  it  was  not  in  obedience  to  national  policy  that  those  who 
were  taken  in  battle,  were  put  to  the  torture,  burned,  and 
flayed.  The  Six  Nations  had  never  found  it  necessary  to  build 
prisons,  and  dig  dungeons  for  their  own  people.  If  any  man 
committed  murder,  they  sometimes  decided  that  he  should  die, 
and  sometimes  bade  him  flee  far  away  where  none  who  knew 
him  could  look  upon  his  face.  But  crimes  were  so  rare  that 
they  had  no  criminal  code,  and  when  they  overcame  their  en- 
emies, they  either  adopted  them  and  treated  them  as  brethren, 
or  put  them  immediately  to  death. 

White  people  have  often  put  Indians  to  death,  and  oftener 
put  them  in  dungeons  to  waste  and  starve,  but  it  was  not  part 
of  their  practice  to  adopt  them  and  call  them  brethren.  Had 
they  sometimes  done  this,  or  sent  them  freely  back  to  their 
friends  unharmed,  they  might  have  conciliated  where  they  were 
only  made  more  desperate. 

When  families  are  bereaved,  they  sought  to  be  revenged  on 
those  who  had  bereaved  them,  and  when  warriors  returned 
from  battle,  the  prisoners  were  given  up  to  the  friends  of  the 
afflicted.  With  them  alone  it  remained  to  decide  the  fate  of 
those  who  fell  into  their  hands.  If  they  chose,  they  adopt 
them  in  place  of  the  husbands,  or  brothers,  who  were  slain  ; 


22  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

and  if  they  so  decided  they  were  put  to  death,  and  in  any  way 
they  decreed.  If  the  manner  in  which  their  friend  had  been 
killed  was  aggravating  and  greatly  enraged  them,  they  were 
very  likely  to  decide  upon  torture,  and  inflicted  it  in  a  manner 
to  produce  the  greatest  suffering.  But  in  such  cases,  they 
sometimes  showed  great  magnanimity,  and  "  returned  good 
for  evil." 

Children  were  often  adopted,  and  by  a  solemn  ceremony  re- 
ceived into  a  particular  tribe,  and  evermore  treated  as  one  of 
their  own  people.  You  have  been  in  the  habit  of  listening  to 
heart-rending  stories  of  cruelties  to  captives,  but  captives  who 
were  adopted  were  never  cruelly  treated.  Those  who  were  im- 
mediately put  to  death  experienced  great  suffering  for  a  few 
hours,  and  those  who  were  preserved  were  subjected  to  hard- 
ships which  seemed  to  them  unspeakable,  but  they  were  such 
as  are  necessarily  incident  to  Indian  life.  They  left  no  written 
chronicles  to  tell  to  all  future  generations  the  wrongs  and  tor- 
tures to  which  they  were  subjected,  but  one  who  sits  with  them 
by  their  firesides,  may  have  his  blood  frozen  with  horror  at  the 
recitals  of  civilized  barbarity. 

And  there  was  one  species  of  wrong  of  which  no  captive  wo- 
man of  any  nation  had  to  complain  when  she  was  thrown  upon 
the  tender  mercies  of  Indian  warriors.  Not  among  all  the  dark 
and  terrible  records  which  their  enemies  have  delighted  to 
magnify,  is  there  a  single  instance  of  the  outrage  of  that  deli- 
cacy which  a  pure  minded  woman  cherishes  at  the  expense 
of  life,  and  sacrifices  not  to  any  species  of  mere  animal  suffer- 
ing. Of  what  other  nation  can  it?- thus  be  written,  that  their 
soldiers  were  not  more  terrible  at  the  firesides  of  their  enemies 
than  on  the  battle-field,  with  all  the  fierce  engines  of  war  at 
their  command.  To  whatever  motive  it  is  to  be  ascribed,  let 
this  at  least  stand  out  on  the  pages  of  Indian  history  as  an 
ever  enduring  monument  to  their  honor. 

A  little  book  which  professes  to  have  been  written  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  recording  and  perpetuating  Indian  atrocities. 


OF   THE    IRO^UOiS,  OR    SIX    NATIONS.  23 

and  dwells  upon  them  with  infinite  delight,  alludes  to  this  re- 
deeming trait  in  Indian  character,  but  attempts  to  ascribe  it  to 
the  influence  of  superstition,  as  it  were  necessary  to  find  some 
evil  or  deteriorating  motive  for  everything  noble,  or  pleasing 
in  Indian  character.  Their  treatment  of  captives  from  among 
Indian  nations  were  the  same.  And  I  know  not  that  there  has 
been  any  satisfactory  solution  of  a  characteristic  which  has 
been  found  among  only  one  other  civilized  Christian  or  barbar- 
ous nation.  A  wanderer  among  the  Indian  tribes  once  asked 
an  Indian  why  they  thus  honored  their  women,  and  he  said 
"  The  Great  Spirit  taught,  and  would  punish  us  if  we  did  not." 
Among  the  Germans  I  believed  there  existed  the  same  respect 
for  woman,  till  they  became  civilized.  They  may  have  been 
some  superstitious  fears  mingled  with  a  strong  governing 
and  controlling  principle,  but  it  is  not  on  this  account  the  less 
marvelous  that  whole  nations,  consisting  of  millions,  should 
have  been  so  trained,  religiously  or  domestically,  that  degree 
of  beauty  or  fascination  placed  under  their  care,  though  hund- 
reds of  miles  in  the  solitudes  of  the  wilderness,  should  have 
tempted  them  from  the  strictest  honor  and  the  most  delicate 
kindness.  MARY  JANISON  was  eighty  years  a  resident  among 
the  Senecas,  and  in  the  early  part  of  the  time  the  forests  had 
few  clearings,  and  the  comforts  and  the  vices  of  white  men 
prevailed  but  little  among  them.  She  was  born  on  the 
ocean,  with  the  billowy  sea  for  her  cradle,  and  the  tempest  for 
her  lullaby.  Her  parents  emigrated  from  England  to  this 
country  in  1742,  and  settled  in  the  unfortunate  vale  of  Wyom- 
ing, where  date  her  first  remembrances,  which  were  all  the  woes 
that  fell  upon  her  family,  the  wail  of  the  sorrow-stricken  and 
breaking  of  heart-strings..  The  last  meal  they  took  together 
was  a  breakfast,  after  which  the  father  and  eldest  three  sons 
went  into  the  field,  and  Mary  with  the  other  little  children 
was  playing  not  far  from  the  house.  They  were  suddenly 
startled  by  a  shriek,  and  knew  it  must  be  from  their  mother. 
On  running  in  they  saw  her  in  the  hands  of  t\vo  Indians, 


24  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

who  were  holding  her  fast.  A  little  boy  ran  to  call  his 
father,  and  found  him  also  bound  by  another  of  the  party, 
and  his  eldest  brother  lying  dead  upon  the  earth  ;  the 
other  two  fled  to  Virginia,  where  they  had  an  uncle,  as  Mary 
afterward  learned,  and  those  who  remained  were  made  cap- 
tives and  hurried  into  the  woods.  All  day  they  were  obliged 
to  march  in  single  file  over  the  rough,  cold  soil.  Night 
found  them  in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness,  surrounded  by  their 
strange  captors,  and  all  the  horrors  of  Indian  life  or  Indian 
death  staring  them  in  the  face.  They  had  no  hope  of  mercy, 
whether  permitted  to  live  or  condemned  to  die.  The  mother 
said  to  Mary,  "  My  daughter,  you,  I  think  will  be  permitted  to 
live,  but  they  will  deprive  you  of  your  father  and  mother,  and 
perhaps  of  your  brothers  and  sisters,  so  that  you  will  be  alone. 
But  endeavor  in  all  things  to  please  the  Indians,  and  they  will 
be  more  kind  to  you.  Do  not  forget  your  own  language,  and 
never  fail  to  re"peat  your  catechism  and  the  Lord's  prayer  eve- 
ry morning  and  evening  while  you  live."  This  she  promised 
to  do,  and  having  kissed  her  child,  the  mother  was  removed 
from  her  sight. 

Mary  must  at  this  time  have  been  ten  years  of  age.  -She 
was  afterwards  told,  when  she  could  understand  the  Indian 
language,  that  they  would  not  have  killed  her  parents  if  the 
captors  had  not  been  pursued,  and  that  a  little  boy,  who  was 
the  son  of  a  neighbor,  and  was  also  taken,  was  given  to  the 
French,  two  of  whom  were  of  the  party. 

In  the  marches  of  the  Indians  it  was  the  custom  for  one  to 
linger  behind,  and  poke  up  the  grass  with  a  stick  after  a  party 
had  passed  along,  to  conceal  all  traces  of  their  footsteps,  so  a 
pursuit  was  seldom  successful.  In  deviating  from  a  direct 
course  in  order  not  to  get  lost,  they  noticed  the  moss  upon  the 
trees,  which  always  grows  thickest  upon  the  north  side,  as  the 
south  side  being  most  exposed  to  the  sun,  became  soonest  dry. 
They  also  had  some  knowledge  of  the  stars,  and  knew  from  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX   NATIONS.  2$ 

position  of  certain  clusters  that  were  to  be  seen  at  certain  sea- 
sons, which  was  east  and  which  west. 

Mary  was  adopted  in  place  of  two  brothers  who  had  fallen 
in  battle,  and  for  whom  the  lamentations  had  not  died  away. 
The  ceremony  of  adoption  is  very  solemn,  requiring  the  delib- 
erations of  a  council  and  the  formal  bestowing  of  a  name,  as  a 
sort  of  baptism,  from  which  time  the  captive  is  not  allowed  to 
speak  any  other  language  but  the  Indian,  and  must  in  all  things 
conform  to  Indian  habits  and  tastes. 

It  is  customary  among  them  to  give  children  a  name  which 
corresponds  with  the  sports  and  dependence  of  childhood,  and 
when  they  arrive  at  maturity  to  change  it  for  one  that  corres- 
ponds with  the  duties  and  employments  of  manhood  and  wom- 
anhood. The  first  name  is  given  by  the  relatives  and  after- 
wards publicly  announced  in  council.  The  second  is  bestowed 
in  the  same  way ;  and  by  this  they  are  ever  afterward  called, 
except  on  becoming  a  Sachem,  and,  sometimes,  on  becoming 
a  Chief  or  warrior  another  name  is  taken,  and  each  denotes 
definitely  the  new  position.  Each  clan,  too,  had  its  peculiar 
names,  so  that  when  a  person's  name  was  mentioned  it  was 
immediately  known  to  what  clan  he  belonged. 

A  curious  feature  in  the  Indian  code  of  etiquette  is  that  it 
is  exceedingly  impolite  to  ask  a  person's  name,  or  to  speak  it 
in  his  presence.  In  the  social  circle  and  all  private  conversa- 
tion the  person  spoken  of  is  described  if  it  is  necessary  to  al- 
lude to  him,  as  the  person  who  sits  there,  or  who  lives  in  that 
house,  or  wears  such  a  dress.  If  I  ask  a  woman,  whose  hus- 
band is  present  if  that  is  Mr.  B —  she  blushes,  and  stammers, 
and  replies,  "  He  is  my  child's  father,"  in  order  to  avoid  speak- 
ing his  name  in  his  presence,  which  would  offend  him.  On 
asking  a  man  his  name  he  remained  silent,  not  understanding 
the  reason  the  question  was  repeated,  when  he  indignantly  re- 
plied, "  Do  you  think  that  I  am  an  owl  to  go  about  hooting 
my  name  everywhere?"  The  name  of  the  owl  in  Indian  corres- 
ponding exactly  to  the  note  he  utters. 
(3) 


26  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

When  Mary  Jemmison  had  been  formally  named  De-he- wa- 
mis,  they  called  her  daughter  and  sister,  and  treated  her  in  all 
respects  as  if  she  had  been  born  among  them  and  the  same 
blood  flowed  in  her  veins,  or  rather,  they  were  accustomed  to 
be  more  kind  to  captives  than  to  their  own  children,  because 
they  had  not  been  inured  to  the  same  hardships.  There  was 
no  difference  in  the  cares  bestowed,  no  allusion  was  ever  made 
to  the  child  as  if  it  belonged  to  a  hated  race,  and  it  never  felt 
the  want  of  affection. 

Mary  said  her  tasks  were  always  light,  and  everything  was 
done  to  win  her  love  and  make  her  happy.  She  now  and  then 
longed  for  the  comforts  of  her  cottage  home,  and  wept  at  the 
thought  of  her  mother's  cruel  death,  but  gradually  learned  to 
love  the  freedom  of  the  forest,  and  to  gambol  freely  and  gaily 
with  her  Indian  play-mates.  When  she  was  named  they  threw 
her  dress  away,  and  clothed  her  in  deer  skins  and  moccasins, 
and  painted  her  face  in  true  Indian  style.  She  never  spoke 
English  in  their  presence,  as  they  did  not  allow  it,  but  when 
alone,  did  not  forget  her  mother's  injunction,  and  repeated 
her  prayers  and  all  the  words  she  could  remember,  thus  retain- 
ing enough  of  the  language  to  enable  her  easily  to  recall  it 
when  she  should  again  return  to  civilized  society,  as  she  con- 
stantly indulged  the  hope  of  doing,  by  an  exchange  of  cap- 
tives. 

But  when  she  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  her  mother  select- 
ed for  her  a  husband,  to  whom  she  was  married  according  to 
Indian  custom.  His  name  \vas  Sheningee,  and  though  she  was 
not  acquainted  with  him  previously,  and  of  course  had  no  af- 
fection for  him,  but  proved  not  only  an  amiable  and  excellent 
man  but  a  congenial  companion,  whom  she  loved  devotedly. 
He  had  all  the  noble  qualities  of  an  Indian,  being  handsome 
and  brave,  and  generous,  and  kind,  and  to  her  very  gentle  and 
affectionate. 

Now  she  became  thoroughly  reconciled  to  Indian  life,  her 
greatest  sorrow  being  the  necessary  absence  of  her  husband  on 


OF  THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX    NATIONS.  27 

the  war-path  and  hunting  excursions.  She  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  a  woman,  tilled  the  fields,  dressed  the  meats  and 
skins,  and  gathered  the  fuel  for  the  winter's  fire,  and  although 
this  seems  to  the  whites  as  unfeminine  labor,  it  was  performed 
at  their  leisure,  and  occupied  very  little  of  their  time. 

When  the  hunters  returned  they  were  weary  and  passive,  and 
seldom  were  guilty  of  fault-finding,  and  so  well  did  an  Indian 
woman  know  her  duty/ that  her  husband  was  not  obliged  to 
make  his  wants  known.  Obedience  was  required  in  all  re- 
spects, and  where  there  was  harmony  and  affection,  cheerfully 
yielded,  and  knowing  as  they  did  that  separation  would  be  the 
consequence  of  neglect  of  duty  and  unkindness,  there  was 
really  more  self-control,  and  about  little  things,  than  those  who 
are  bound  for  life.  They  did  not  agree  to  live  together  through 
good  and  through  evil  reports,  but  only  while  they  loved  and 
confided  in  each  other,  and  they  were  therefore  careful  not  to 
throw  lightly  away  this  love  and  affection. 

The  labor  of  the  field  was  performed  in  so  systematic  a  man- 
ner, and  by  so  thorough  and  wisely  divisioned  labor,  that  there 
were  none  of  the  jealousies  and  enjoyings  which  exist  among 
those  who  wish  to  hoard,  and  ambitious  to  excel  in  style  and 
equipage.  And  before  the  fire-water  came  among  them,  dis- 
sentions  of  any  kind  were  almost  unknown.  This  has  been  the 
fruitful  source  of  all  their  woes.  It  was  not  till  Mary  became 
a  mother  that  she  gave  up  all  longing  for  civilized  society,  and 
relinquished  all  hope  of  again  returning  to  the  abodes  of  the 
white  man.  Now  she  had  a  tie  to  bind  her  which  could  not 
be  broken.  If  she  should  find  her  white  friends  they  would 
not  recognize  her  Indian  husband,  or  consider  her  lawfully 
married  ;  they  would  not  care-to  be  connected  by  ties  of  blood 
to  a  people  whom  they  despised  ;  her  child  would  not  be  hap- 
py among  those  who  looked  upon  her  as  inferior,  and  she  her- 
self had  no  education  to  fit  her  for  the  companionship  of  the 
white  people.  She  looked  upon  her  little  daughter  and  thought, 
it  is  Sheningee's — it  is  dearer  to  me  than  all  things  else — I 


28  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LA\VS 

could  not    endure  to  see  her   treated  with  aversion  or  neglect. 

But  only  a  little  while  was  she  permitted  this  happiness,  her 
daughter  died  while  yet  an  infant,  and  when  Sheningee  was 
away.  Again  the  feeling  of  desolation  came  over  her  young 
spirit,  but  all  around  her  ministered  in  every  way  to  her  com- 
fort, and  became  more  than  ever  endeared  to  her  heart.  Af- 
ter a  long  absence.  Sheningee  returned.  She  afterwards  had  a 
son,  and  named  him  after  her  father,  to  which  no  objection 
was  made  by  her  Indian  friends,  and  her  love  for  her  husband 
became  idolatry.  In  her  eyes  he  seemed  everything  noble  and 
good  ;  she  mourned  his  departure  and  longed  for  his  return, 
for  his  affection  prompted  him  to  treat  her  with  gentle  and 
winning  kindness  which  is  the  spirit  of  true  love  alone. 

But  again  the  separation,  and  she  must  pass  another  winter 
alone.  For  hunting  was  the  Indian's  toil,  and  though  they  de- 
lighted in  it,  the  pangs  of  parting  from  his  wife  and  little  one, 
made  it  a  sacrifice,  and  spread  a  dark  cloud  over  a  long  period 
of  his  life.  And  now  it  became  dark  indeed  to  Mary,  for  she 
waited  long  and  Sheningee  came  not.  She  put  everything  in 
order  in  his  little  dwelling.  She  dressed  new  skins  for  his 
couch,  and  smoked  venison  to  please  his  taste.  She  made  the 
fire  bright  to  welcome  him,  hoping  every  evening  when  she  lay 
down  with  her  baby  upon  her  bosom,  that  ere  the  morning  sun, 
the  husband  and  father  would  gladden  them  by  his  smiles,  but 
in  vain  ;  winter  had  passed  away,  and  the  spring,  and  then  came 
the  sad  tidings  that  he  was  dead,  she  became  a  widow  and  her 
child  fatherless. 

Very  long  did  she  mourn  Sheningee,  for  it  seemed  to  her 
there  was  none  like  him.  But  again  the  sympathies  of  his 
people  created  a  new  link  to  bind  her  to  them,  and  she  said 
she  could  not  have  loved  a  mother  or  sisters  more  dearly  than 
she  did  those  who  stood  in  this  relationship  to  her,  and  sooth- 
ed her  with  their  loving  words.  . 

Net  for  four  years  was  sne  again  urged  to  marry,  and  during 
this  time  there  was  an  exchange  of  prisoners  and  she  had  an 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  29 

opportunity  to  return  to  her  kindred  ;  she  was  left  to  do  as  she 
chose.  They  told  her  she  might  go,  but  if  she  preferred  to 
remain  she  should  still  be  their  daughter  and  sister,  and  they 
would  give  her  land  for  her  own  where  she  might  always  dwell. 
Again  she  thought  of  the  prejudice  she  would  everywhere 
meet,  and  that  she  could  never  patiently  listen  to  reproaches 
concerning  her  husband's  people.  It  would  not  be  believed 
that  he  was  noble,  because  he  was  an  Indian  ;  and  she  would 
have  no  near  relatives  and  those  she  had  might  reject  her  if 
she  should  seek  them,,  so  she  came  to  the  final  conclusion  and 
never  more  sighed  for  the  advantages  or  pleasures  of  civilized 
life.  She  came  with  the  brothers  of  Sheningee  to  the  banks 
of  the  Genesee,  where  she  resided  the  remaining  seventy-two 
years  of  her  life. 

Her  second  husband — Hiokatoo — she  never  learned  to  love. 
He  was  a  Chief  and  a  warrior  brave  and  fearless  ;  but  though 
he  was  always  kind  to  her,  he  was  a  man  of  blood.  He  de- 
lighted in  deeds  of  cruelty  and  delighted  to  relate  them.  And 
now  the  fire  water  had  become  common,  and  the  good  were 
bad  and  the  bad  worse,  so  that  dissensions  arose  in  fami- 
lies and  in  neighborhoods,  and  the  happiness  which  had  been 
almost  without  alloy  was  no  longer  known  among  these  sim- 
ple people. 

She  adds  her  testimony  to  that  of  all  travelers  and  historians 
concerning  the  purity  of  their  lives,  having  never  herself  re- 
ceived the  slightest  insult  from  an  Indian  and  scarcely  know- 
ing an  instance  of  infidelity  or  immorality.  But  when  once 
they  had  tasted  of  the  maddening  draught  the  thirst  was  insa- 
tiable, and  all  they  had  would  be  given  for  a  glass  of  something 
to  destroy  their  reason.  Now  they  were  indeed  converted  in- 
to fiends  and  furies  and  sold  themselves  to  swift  destruction. 

Hiokatoo  hesitated  at  no  crime  and  took  pleasure  in  every- 
thing dark  and  terrible,  but  this  was  a  small  trial  compared  to 
those  which  Mrs.  Jemmisonwas  called  upon  to  endure  frcm 
the  intoxication  and  recklessness  of  her  son.  Her  eldest,  the 


3O  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

son  of  Sheningee,  was  murdered  by  John,  the  son  of  Hiokatoo, 
who  afterward  murdered  his  own  brother  Jesse,  and  came  to 
the  same  violent  death  himself  at  the  hands  of  others.  When 
they  came  to  be  in  the  midst  of  temptation  there  was  no  re- 
straining principle,  and  even  after  they  grew  up  her  house  was 
the  scene  of  quarrels  and  confusion  in  consequence  of  their  in- 
temperance, and  she  knew  no  rest  from  fear  of  some  calamity 
from  the  indulgence  of  their  unbridled  passions.  The  Chief 
of  the  Seneca  nation,  to  which  her  second  husband  belonged, 
gave  her  a  large  tract  of  land,  and  when  it  became  necessary 
that  it  should  be  secured  to  her  by  treaty,  she  plead  her  own 
case.  The  commissioners  without  inquiring  particularly  con- 
cerning the  dimensions  of  her  lots,  allowed  her  to  make  her 
own  boundaries,  and  when  the  document  was  signed  and  she 
was  in  firm  possession  it  was  found  that  she  was  the  owner  of 
nearly  four  thousand  acres,  of  which  only  a  deed  in  her  own 
hand-writing  could  deprive  her.  But  though  she  was  rich  she 
toiled  not  the  less  dilligently  and  forsook  not  the  sphere  of 
woman  in  attending  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  also, 
true  to  her  Indian  education,  she  planted  and  hoed  and  har- 
vested, retaining  her  Indian  dress  and  habits  till  the  day  of 
her  death.  During  the  revolutionary  war  her  house  was  made 
the  rendevous  and  headquarters  of  British  officers  and  Indian 
Chiefs,  as  her  sympathies  were  entirely  with  her  red  brethren, 
and  the  cause  they  espoused  was  the  one  she  preferred  to  aid. 
It  was  in  her  power  to  sympathize  with  many  a  lone  captive, 
she  always  remembered  her  own  anguish  at  the  prospect  of 
spending  her  life  in  the  wilderness.  The  companion  of  In- 
dians, and  though  she  had  learned  to  love  instead  of  fear- 
ing them,  and  knew  they  were,  as  a  people,  deserving  of  re- 
spect and  the  highest  honor,  she  understood  the  feelings  of 
those  who  knew  them  not. 

Her  supplication  procured  the  release  of  many  from  torture, 
and  her  generous  kindness  clothed  the  naked  and  fed  the 
starving. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  31 

Lot  after  lot,  acre  after  acre  the  Indians  sold  their  lands,  and 
at  length  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Genesee  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  white  people,  except  the  dominion  of  "  the  white 
woman,"  as  she  was  always  called,  which  couldn't  be  given  up 
without  her  consent.  She  refused,  at  the  time  of  the  sale,  to 
part  with  her  portion,  but  after  the  Indians  removed  to  Buffa- 
lo reservation  and  she  was  left  alone,  though  a  lady  in  the 
manor  and  surrounded  by  white  people,  she  preferred  to  take 
her  abode  with  those  whom  she  now  called  her  own  people. 
Most  emphatically  did  she  adopt  the  language  of  Ruth  in  the 
days  of  old,  "  Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee,  or  return  from 
following  after  thee,  for  whither  thou  goest  I  will  go,  and 
where  thou  lodgest  I  will  lodge,  thy  people  will  be  my  people, 
and  thy  God  my  God,  where  thou  diest  will  I  die,  and  there 
will  I  be  buried." 

She  was  as  thoroughly  pagan  as  the  veriest  Indian  who  had 
never  heard  of  God,  and  she  exclaimed  with  him  that  their 
religion  was  good  enough  and  she  desired  no  change. 

She  \vas  ninety  years  of  age — eighty  years  she  had  been  an 
exile  from  the  land  of  her  birth.  She  had  forgotten  the  prayer 
her  mother  taught  her,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  worship  of 
her  father,  when  one  morning  she  sent  a  messenger  to  tell  the 
missionaries  she  wished  to  see  them.  She  had  ever  before  re- 
fused to  listen  to  them  if  they  came  to  her  dwelling,  but  they 
hastened  to  obey  the  summons,  glad  to  feel  that  they  should 
be  welcomed,  though  quite  uncertain  concerning  the  nature 
of  the  interview  she  proposed.  She  was  literally  withered 
away,  her  face  was  scarcely  larger  than  an  infant's  and  com- 
pletely checkered  with  fine  wrinkles,  her  teeth  were  entirely 
gone  and  her  mouth  so  sunken  that  her  nose  and  chin  almost 
met,  her  hair  not  silvery,  but  snowy  white,  except  a  little  lock 
by  each  ear  which  still  retained  the  sandy  hue  of  childhood, 
her  form  which  was  always  slender,  was  bent,  and  her  limbs 
could  not  longer  support  her.  She  had  revived  the  knowledge 
of  her  language  since  she  had  dwrelled  among  the  white  peo- 


32  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

pie,  but,  "  Oh,  "  said  she,  as  the  ladies  entered,  "  I  have  forgot- 
ten how  to  pray  ;  my  mother  taught  me  and  told  me  never  to 
forget  this,  though  I  remembered  nothing  else;"  and  then  she 
exclaimed,  "  Oh,  God  !  have  mercy  upon  me."  This  expres- 
sion she  had  heard  in  her  old  age,  and  now  uttered  it  in  the 
fullness  of  her  heart.  There  had  come  a  gleam  of  light 
through  all  the  darkness  and  superstitions  of  Paganism,  and 
this  spark  was  kindled  at  the  fireside  of  that  little  cottage 
home,  and  fell  upon  her  heart  from  a  mother's  lips,  and  now 
revived  at  the  remembrance  of  a  mother's  love  and  her  dying 
blessing.  It  was  eighty  years  since  she  had  seen  that  mother's 
face,  as  she  breathed  out  her  soul  in  anguish,  bending  over  her 
in  the  silent  depths  of  the  wilderness  ;  eighty  years  since  she 
listened  to  "Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven,"  from  Christian 
lips,  and  now  the  still  small  voice  which  had  so  long  been  si- 
lent, spoke  aloud,  and  startled  her  as  if  an  angel  called.  She 
tried  to  stifle  it,  and  for  many  days  after  it  awoke  in  her  bos- 
om, she  heeded  it  not,  but  it  gave  her  no  rest.  No  earthly 
voice  had  since  reminded  her  that  her  heart  was  sinful,  and 
needed  to  be  "  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  lamb,  that  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world,"  in  order  to  be  clean.  The  seed 
which  had  been  sown  in  it  when  she  was  a  little  child,  had  just 
sprung  up  ;  the  snows  of  eighty  winters  had  not  chilled  it,  the 
milde>v  of  nearly  a  century  had  not  blighted  it,  and  the  heavy 
hand  of  hundreds  of  calamities  had  left  it  unharmed.  She  had 
not  been  in  the  midst  of  corruptions,  therefore  it  had  not  been 
destroyed.  The  little  germ  was  still  alive,  and  proving  that  it 
had  not  been  in  vain. 

The  aged  woman  sat  pillowed  up  in  bed  with  her  children, 
and  children's  children  of  three  generations  around  her,  and 
lifting  her  withered  hands  and  sunken  eyes  to  Heaven,  once 
more  repeated,  "  Our  Father,  who  art  in  Heaven,"  while  a  new- 
light,  like  a  halo,  overspread  her  face,  the  tears  flowed  in  floods 
down  her  cheeks,  and  in  the  dark  eyes  of  every  listener  there 
glistened  tears  of  sympathy  in  her  new  found  happiness. 


OF   THE    IROOUOIS,    OR   SIX    NATIONS.  33 

When  she  was  asked  if  she  regretted  that  she  had  not  con- 
sented to  be  exchanged,  she  still  said,  "  No.  I  love  the  Indi- 
ans ;  I  love  them  better  than  the  white  people.  Because  they 
had  been  kind  to  me,  and  provided  generously  for  my  youth 
and  old  age,  and  my  children  would  inherit  an  abundance 
from  the  avails  of  the  lands,  and  herds,  and  flocks." 

A  few  days  after  the  new  light  dawned  upon  her  spirit,  in 
the  year  1833,  Mary  was  numbered  with  the  dead.  She  had 
embraced  the  faith  which  makes  no  difference  between  those 
who  come  at  the  first  or  the  eleventh  hour,  and  those  who  were 
present  at  the  dissolution  of  her  soul  and  body,  doubted  not 
that  Jesus  had  whispered  to  her  the  same  consolation  that  fell 
upon  the  heart  of  the  thief  upon  the  Cross,  "  This  day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise ." 


Customs  and  Individual  Traits  of  Character. 


The  more  you  read,  and  the  better  you  understand  Indian 
history,  the  more  you  will  be  impressed  with  the  injustice  which 
has  been  done  the  Iroquois,  not  only  in  dispossessing  them  of 
their  inheritance,  but  in  the  estimation  which  has  been  made 
of  their  character.  They  have  been  represented,  as  seen  in  the 
transition  state,  the  most  unfavorable  possible  for  judging  cor- 
rectly. In  the  chapter  of  National  Traits  of  Character,  I  have 
in  two  or  three  instances  quoted  Washington  Irving,  and  might 
again  allow  his  opinions  to  relieve  my  own  from  the  charge  of 
(4) 


34  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

partiality.  He  says,  in  speaking  of  this  same  subject,  that  "  the 
current  opinion  of  Indian  character  is  too  apt  to  be  formed  from 
the  miserable  hordes  which  infest  the  frontiers,  and  hang  on 
the  shirts  of  settlements.  These  are  too  commonly  composed 
of  degenerate  beings,  corrupted  and  enfeebled  by  the  voice  of 
society,  without  being  benefited  by  its  civilization." 

"  The  proud  independence  which  formed  the  main  pillar  of 
motive  virtue  has  been   spoken   down,  and   the  whole  moral 
fabric  lies  in  ruins.     The  spirits  are  humiliated  and  debased  by 
a   sense   of  inferiority,. and    their  native  courage    cowed    and 
daunted  by  the  superior  knowledge  and  power  of  their  enlight- 
ened neighbors.     Society  has  advanced  upon  them  like  one  of 
those  withering  airs  that  will  sometimes  breed  desolation  over 
a  whole  region   of  fertility.     It  has  enervated  their  strength, 
multiplied  their  diseases,  and  superinduced  upon  their  original 
barbarity  the  law-vices  of  artificial   life.     It  has  given  them  a 
thousand  superfluous  wants,  while  it  has  diminished  their  means 
of  mere  existance.     It  has  driven   before  it  the  animals  of  the 
chase,  who  fly  from  the  sound  of  the  axe  and  the  smoke  of  the 
settlement,  and  seek  refuge  in  the  depths  of  remote  forests,  and 
yet  untrodden  wilds.     Thus  do  we  often  find  the  Indians  in  the 
frontiers  to  be  mere  wrecks  and  remnants  of  once  powerful 
tribes,  who  have  lingered   in   the  vicinity  of  settlements,  and 
sunk  ii\to  precarious  and  vagabond  existence.     Poverty,  repin- 
ing and  hopeless  poverty — a   canker  on   the  mind  before  un- 
known to  them — corrodes  their  spirits,  and  blights  every  free 
and  noble  qualities  of  their  nature.     They  loiter  like  vagrants 
about  the  settlements  among  spacious  dwellings,  replete  with 
elaborate  comforts,  which  only  renders  them  more  sensible  of 
the  comparative  wretchedness  of  their  own  condition.  Luxury 
spreads   its  ample  board  before  their  eyes,  but  they  are  exclud- 
ed from   the  banquet  ;  plenty  revels  over  the  fields,  but  they 
are  starving  in  the  midst  of  abundance.     The  whole  wilderness 
blossomed  into  a  garden,  but  they  feel   as  reptiles  that  infest 
them.     How  different  was  their  state  vx'hilc  undisputed  lords  of 


OF  TI1K    IROolJois,  ok   SIX    RATIONS.  35 

the  soil  ?  Their  wants  were  few,  and  true  means  of  gratification 
within  their  reach,  they  saw  every  one  among  them  sharing  the 
same  lot,  enduring  the  same  hardships,  feeding  on  the  same 
aliments,  arrayed  in  the  same  rude  garment.  No  roof  then 
rose  under  whose  sheltering  wings,  that  was  not  ever  open  to 
the  homeless  stranger,  no  smoke  curled  among  the  trees,  but 
he  was  welcome  to  sit  down  by  its  fire  and  join  the  hunter  in 
his  repast." 

In  discussing  Indian  character,  writers  have  been  too  prone 
to  indulge  in  vulgar  prejudice  and  passionate  exaggeration,  in- 
stead of  the  candid  temper  of  the  true  philosopher.  They 
have  not  sufficiently  considered  the  peculiar  circumstance  in 
which  the  Indians  have  been  placed,  and  the  peculiar  principles 
under  which  they  having  been  educated.  No  being  acts  more 
rigidly  from  rule  than  the  Indians,  his  whole  conduct  is  regu- 
lated according  to  some  general  maxims  early  implanted  in  his 
mind.  The  moral  laws  which  govern  him  are  few,  but  he  con- 
forms to  them  all.  The  white  man  abounds  in  laws  and  religion, 
morals,  and  manners,  but  how  many  of  them  does  he  violate. 
In  their  intercourse  with  the  Indians  the  white  people  were 
continually  trampling  upon  their  religion  and  their  sacred 
rights.  They  were  expected  to  look  merely  on  while  the  graves 
of  their  fathers  were  robbed  of  their  treasures,  and  the  bones 
of  their  fathers  were  left  to  bleach  upon  the  fields.  And  when 
exasperated  by  the  brutality  of  their  conquerors,  and  driven  to 
deeds  of  vengence,  there  was  very  little  appreciation  of  the 
motives  which  influenced  them,  and  no  attempt  was  made  to 
palliate  their  cruelties. 

It  was  their  custom  to  bury  the  dead  with  their  best  cloth- 
ing, and  the  various  implements  they  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
using  whilst  living.  If  it  wras  a  warrior  that  they  were  prepar- 
ing for  burial,  they  placed  his  tomahawk  by  his  side  and  his 
knife  in  his  shield  ;  with  the  hunter,  his  bow  and  arrows  and 
implements  for  cooking  his  food  ;  with  the  woman,  their  kettles 
and  cooking  apparatus,  and  also  food  for  all.  Tobacco  was 


36  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

deposited  in  every  grave  ;  for  to  smoke  was  an  Indian's  idea  of 
felicity  in  the  body  and  out  of  it,  and  in  this  there  was  not  so 
much  difference  as  one  might  wish,  between  them  and  gentle- 
men of  a  paler  hue. 

Among  the  Iroquois,  and  many  other  Indian  nations,  it  was 
the  custom  to  place  the  dead  upon  scaffolds,  built  for  the  pur- 
pose, from  tree  to  tree,  or  within  a  temporaiy  inclosure,  and 
underneath  a  fire  was  kept  burning  for  several  days. 

They  had  known  instances  of  persons  reviving  after  they 
were  supposed  to  be  dead,  and  this  led  to  tfre  conclusion  that 
the  spirit  sometimes  returned  to  animate  the  body  after  it  had 
once  fled.  If  there  was  no  signs  of  life  for  ten  days,  the  fire 
was  extinguished  and  the  body  left  unmolested  until  decompo- 
sition had  begun  to  take  place,  when  the  remains  were  buried, 
or,  as  was  often  the  case,  kept  in  the  lodge  for  many  years.  If 
they  were  obliged  to  desert  the  settlement  where  they  had  long 
resided,  these  skeletons  were  collected  from  all  the  families  and 
buried  in  one  common  grave,  with  the  same  ceremonies  as 
when  a  single  individual  was  interred. 

They  did  not  suppose  the  spirit  was  instantaneously  trans- 
ferred from  earth  to  Heaven,  but  that  it  wandered  in  ;erial  re- 
gion for  many  moons.  In  later  days  they  only  allowed  ten 
days  for  its  flight.  Their  period  for  mourning  continued  only 
whilst  the  spirit  is  wandering,  as  soon  as  they  believe  it  has  en- 
tered Heaven  they  commenced  rejoicing,  saying,  there  is  no 
longer  cause  for  sorrow,  because  it  is  now  \\here  happiness 
dwells  forever.  Sometimes  a  piteous  wailing  \\  as  kept  up  every 
night  for  a  long  time,  but  it  was  only  their  bereavement  that 
thev  beu  ailed,  as  they  did  not  fear  about  the  fate  of  those  who 
died.  Not  until  they  had  heard  of  Purgatory  from  the  Jesuits, 
or  endless  woe  from  Protestants,  did  they  look  upon  death 
with  terror,  or  life  as  anything  but  a  blessing. 

They  were  sometimes  in  the  habit  of  addressing  the  dead,  as 
if  they  could  hear.  The  following  are  the  words  of  a  mother 
as  she  bends  over  her  only  son  to  look  for  the  last  time  upon 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS,  37 

his  beloved  face  :  "  My  son,  listen  once  more  to  the  words  of 
thy  mother.  Thou  wast  brought  into  life  with  her  pains,  thou 
wast  nourished  with  her  life.  She  has  attempted  to  be  faith- 
ful in  raising  you  up.  When  you  were  young  she  loved  you 
as  her  life.  Thy  presence  has  been  a  source  of  great  joy  to 
her.  Upon  thee  she  depended  for  support  and  comfort  in  her 
declining  days.  But  thou  hast  outstripped  her  and  gone  be- 
fore. Our  wise  and  great  Creator  has  ordered  it  thus.  By  his 
will,  1  am  left  yet,  to  taste  more  of  the  miseries  of  this  world. 
Thy  relations  and  friends  have  gathered  about  thy  body  to  look 
upon  thee  for  the  last  time.  They  mourn,  as  with  one  mind,  thy 
departure  from  among  us.  We,  too,  have  but  a  feV  days  more 
and  our  journey  will  be  ended.  We  part  now,  and  you  are 
conveyed  out  of  our  sight.  But  we  shall  soon  meet  again,  and 
shall  look  upon  each  other,  then  we  shall  part  no  more.  Our 
Maker  has  called  thee  home,  and  thither  will  we  follow." 

After  the  adoption  of  the  league  of  the  Iroquois,  and  they 
dwelled  in  villages,  this  was  one  of  the  duties  enjoined  by  their 
religious  teacher  at  their  festivals  :  "  It  is  the  will  of  the 
Great  Spirit  that  you  reverence  the  aged,  even  though  they  be 
helpless  as  infants."  And  also,  "  Kindness  to  the  orphan,  and 
hospitality  to  all."  "  If  you  tie  up  the  clothes  of  an  orphan 
"child,  the  Great  Spirit  will  notice  it,  and  reward  you  for  it." 
"  To  adopt  an  orphan,  and  bring  them  up  in  virtuous  ways,  is 
pleasing  to  the  Great  Spirit."  "  If  strangers  wander  about 
your  abode,  welcome  him  to  your  home,  be  hospitable  towards 
him,  speak  to  him  with  kind  words,  and  forget  not,  always  to 
make  mention  of  the  Great  Spirit." 

The  Indians' lamentations,  on  being  driven  far  away  from  the 
graves  of  their  fathers,  have  been  the  theme  of  all  historians 
and  travelers.  It  can  be  easily  imagined  how  those  who  so 
loved  their  homes  and  revered  their  fathers'  graves,  would  be- 
come fierce  with  indignation  and  rage,  on  seeing  themselves 
treated  as  without  human  feeling;,  and  the  sacred  relics  of  the 
dead  ploughed  up  and  scattered  as  indifferently  as  the  stones, 


38  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

or  the  bones  of  the  moose  and  the  deer  of  the  forest.  It  u  as 
this  feeling  that  often  prompted  them  to  acts  of  hostility, 
which  those  who  experienced  them,  ascribed  to  wanton  cruelty 
and  barbarity. 

In  many  of  the  villages  there  was  a  strangers  home,  a  house 
for  strangers  where  they  were  placed,  while  the  old  men  went 
about  collecting  skins  for  them  to  sleep  upon,  and  food  for 
them  to  eat,  expecting  no  reward. 

They  called  it  very  rude  for  them  to  stare  at  them  as  they 
passed  in  the  streets,  and  said  that  they  had  as  much  curiosity 
as  the  white  people,  but  they  did  not  gratify  it  by  intruding 
upon  them,  by  examining  them.  They  would  sometimes  hide 
behind  trees  in  order  to  look  at  strangers,  but  never  stood 
openly  and  gaze  at  them. 

Their  respective  attention  to  missionaries  was  often  the  re- 
sult of  their  rules  of  politeness,  as  it  is  a  part  of  the  Indian's 
code.  Their  councils  are  eminent  for  decorum,  and  no  person 
is  interrupted  during  a  speech.  Some  Indians,  after  respect- 
fully listening  to  a  missionary,  thought  they  would  relate  to 
him  some  of  their  legends,  but  the  good  man  could  not  restrain 
his  indignation,  but  pronounced  them  foolish  fables,  while  what 
Jie  told  them  was  sacred  truth.  The  Indian  was,  in  his  turn, 
offended,  and  said,  we  listened  to  your  stories,  why  do  you  not 
listen  to  ours?  you  are  not  instructed  in  the  common  rules  of 
civility. 

A  hunter,  in  his  wandering  for  game,  fell  among  the  back 
settlements  of  Virginia,  and  on  account  of  the  inclemency  of 
the  weather,  sought  refuge  at  the  house  of  a  planter,  whom  he 
met  at  the  door.  He  was  refused  admission.  Being  both 
hungry  and  thirsty,  he  asked  for  a  bit.  of  bread  and  a  cup  of 
cold  water.  But  the  answer  to  every  appeal  was,  "  You,  sJiall 
have  nothing  here,  get  you  gone  you  Indian  dog  /" 

Some  months  afterwards  this  same  planter  lost  himself  in 
the  woods,  and  after  a  weary  day  of  wandering,  came  to  an  In- 
dian cabin,  into  which  he  was  welcomed.  On  inquiring  the 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX    NATIONS.  39 

way  and  distance  to  the  settlement,  and  finding  it  was  too  far 
to  think  of  going  that  night,  he  asked  if  he  could  remain. 
Very  cordiaily  the  inmates  replied,  that  he  was  at  liberty  to 
stay,  and  all  they  had  was  at  his  service.  They  gave  him  food, 
they  made  a  bright  fire  to  cheer  and  warm  him,  and  supplied 
him  with  clean  deer-skin  for  his  couch,  and  promised  to  con- 
duct him  the  next  day  on  his  journey.  In  the  morning  the 
Indian  hunter  and  the  planter  set  out  together  through  the 
forest,  when  they  came  in  sight  of  the  white  man's  dwelling, 
the  hunter,  about  to  leave,  turned  to  his  companion,  and  said, 
"  Do  you  not  know  me  ?"  The  white  man  was  struck  with 
horror,  that  he  had  been  so  long  in  the  power  of  one  whom  he 
had  so  inhumanly  treated,  and  expected  now  to  experience  his 
revenge.  But  on  beginning  to  make  excuses,  the  Indian  in- 
terrupted him  saying,  "  when  you  see  a  poor  Indian  fainting 
for  a  cup  of  cold  water,  don't  say  again,  '  get  you  gone,  you 
Indian  dog,'  "  and  turned  back  to  his  hunting  grounds.  Which 
best  deserved  the  appellation  of  a  Christian,  and  to  which  will 
it  most  likely  be  said,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  the 
least  of  these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 


40  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 


CREATION 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  CONTINENT,  THE  ANIMAL,  AND  OF  THE  INDIAN, 

INTRODUCTION   OF   THE   TWO    PRINCIPLES   OF   GOOD   AND 

EVIL   INTO   THE     GOVERNMENT   OF   THE   WORLD. 


The  Tuscarora  tradition  opens  with  the  notion  that  there 
were  originally  two  worlds,  or  regions  of  space,  that  is  an  upper 
and  lower  world.  The  upper  world  was  inhabited  by  beings 
resembling  the  human  race.  And  the  lower  world  by  mon- 
sters, moving  on  the  surface  and  in  the  waters,  which  is  in 
darkness.  When  the  human  species  were  transferred  below, 
and  the  lower  sphere  was  about  to  be  rendered  fit  for  their 
residence,  the  act  of  their  transference  is  by  these  ideas,  that  a 
female  who  began  to  descend  into  the  lower  world,  which  is  a 
region  of  darkness,  waters,  and  monsters,  she  was  received  on 
the  back  of  a  tortoise,  where  she  gave  birth  to  male  twins,  and 
there  she  expired.  The  shell  of  this  tortoise  expanded  into  a 
continent,  which,  in  the  English  language,  is  called  "  island," 
and  is  named  by  the  Tuscaroras,  Yowahnook.  One  of  the 
children  was  called  Got-ti-gah-rah-quast,  or  good  mind,  the 
other,  Got-ti-gah-rak-senh,  or  bad  mind.  These  two  antago- 
nistical  principles  were  at  perpetual  variance,  it  being  the  law 
of  one  to  counteract  whatever  the  other  did.  They  were  not, 
however,  men,  but  gods,  or  existences,  through  whom  the 
Great  Spirit,  or  "  Holder  of  the  Heavens,"  carried  out  his 
purposes. 

The  first  work  of  Got-ti-gah-rah-quast  was  to  create  the  sun 
out  of  the  head  of  his  dead  mother,  and  the  moon  and  stars  out 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.,  41 

of  the  other  parts  of  her  body.  The  light  these  gave  drove  the 
monsters  into  the  deep  waters  to  hide  themselves.  He  then 
prepared  the  surface  of  the  continent  and  fitted  it  for  human 
habitation,  by  making  it  into  creeks,  rivers,  lakes  and  plains, 
and  by  filling  them  with  the  various  kinds  of  animals  and  veg- 
etable kingdom.  He  then  formed  a  man  and  a  woman  out  of 
the  earth,  gave  them  life,  and  called  them  Ongwahonwd,  that 
is  to  say,  a  real  people. 

Meanwhile  the  bad  mind  created  mountains,  water-falls,  and 
steeps,  caves,  reptiles,  serpents,  apes,  and  other  objects  sup- 
posed to  be  injurious  to,  or  in  mockery  to  mankind.  He  made 
an  attempt  also  to  conceal  the  land  animals  in  the  ground,  so 
as  to  deprive  men  of  the  means  of  subsistance.  This  continued 
opposition,  to  the  wishes  of  the  Good  Mind,  who  was  perpetu- 
ally at  work,  in  restoring  the  effects  and  displacements,  of  the 
wicked  devices  of  the  other,  at  length  led  to  a  personal  combat, 
of  which  the  time  and  instrument  of  battle  were  agreed  on. 
They  fought  two  days  ;  the  Good  Mind  using  the  deer's  horn, 
and  the  other  using  wild  flag  leafs,  as  arms.  Got-ti-gah-rah- 
quast,  or  Good  Mind,  who  had  chosen  the  horn,  finally  pre- 
vailed. His  antagonist  sunk  down  into  a  region  of  darkness,  and 
became  the  Evil  Spirit  of  the  world  of  dispair.  Got-ti-gah-rah- 
quast,  having  obtained  his  triumph,  retired  from  .the  earth. 

The  earliest  tradition  that  we  have  of  the  Iroquois  is  as  fol- 
lows :  That  a  company  of  Ongwahonwa  being  encamped  on 
the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  where  they  were  invaded 
by  a  nation — few  in  number,  buf  were  great  giants,  called 
"  Ronongwaca."  War  after  war  was  brought  on  by  personal 
encounters  and  incidents,  and  carried  on  with  perfidity  and 
cruelty.  They  were  delivered  at  length  by  the  skill  and  courage 
of  Yatontea,  who,  after  retreating  before  them,  raised  a  large 
body  of  men  and  defeated  them,  after  which  they  were  sup- 
posed to  be  extinct.  And  the  next  they  suffered  was  from  the 
malice,  perfidity  and  lust  of  an  extraordinary  appearing  person, 
who  they  called  That-tea-ro-skeh,  who  was  finally  driven  across 
(5) 


42  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

the  St.  Lawrence,  and  come  to  a  town  south  of  the  shores  of 
Lake  Ontario,  where,  however,  he  only  disguised  his  intentions, 
to  repeat  his  cruel  and  perfidious  deeds.  He  assassinated 
many  persons,  and  violated  six  virgins.  They  pointed  to  him 
as  a  fiend  in  human  shape. 

In  this  age  of  monsters,  the  country  was  again  invaded  by 
another  monster,  which  they  called  Oyahguaharh,  supposed  to 
be  some  great  mammoth,  who  was  furious  against  men,  and 
destroyed  the  lives  of  many  Indian  hunters,  but  he  was  at 
length  killed,  after  a  long  and  severe  contest. 

A  great  horned  serpent  also  next  appeared  on  Lake  Ontario 
who,  by  means  of  his  poisonous  breath,  caused  disease,  and 
caused  the  death  of  many.  At  length  the  old  women  congre- 
gated, with  one  accord,  and  prayed  to  the  Great  Spirit  that  he 
would  send  their  grand-father,  the  Thunder,  who  would  get  to 
their  relief  in  this,  their  sore  time  of  trouble,  and  at  the  same 
time  burning  tobacco  as  burned  offerings.  So  finally  the  mon- 
ster was  compelled  to  retire  in  the  deep's  of  the  lake  by  thunder 
bolts.  Before  this  calamity  was  forgotten  another  happened. 
A  blazing  star  fell  into  their  fort,  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
St.  Lawrence,  and  destroyed  the  people.  Such  a  phenomenon 
caused  a  great  panic  and  consternation  and  dread,  which  they 
regarded  as  ominious  of  their  entire  destruction.  Not  long 
after  this  prediction  of  the  blazing  star  it  was  verified.  These 
tribes,  who  were  held  together  by  feeble  ties,  fell  into  dispute 
and  wars  among  themselves,  which  were  pursued  through  a 
long  period,  until  they  had  utterly  destroyed  each  other,  and 
so  reduced  their  numbers  that  the  lands  were  again  over-run 
with  wild  beasts. 

At  this  period  there  were  six  families  took  refuge  in  a  large 
cave  in  a  mountain,  where  they  dwelled  for  a  long  time.  The 
men  would  come  out  occasionally  to  hunt  for  food.  This  mam- 
moth cave  was  situated  at  or  near  the  falls  of  the  Oswego 
River.  Taryenya-wa-gon  (Holder  of  the  Heavens)  extricated 
these  six  families  from  this  subterraneous  bowels  and  confines 


OF   THE    EROQtlOlSyOR   SIX    NATIONS.  43 

of  the  mountain.  They  always  looked  to  this  divine  messen- 
ger, who  had  power  to  assume  various  shapes,  as  emergency 
dictated,  as  the  friend  and  patron  of  their  nation. 

As  soon  as  they  were  released  he  gave  them  instructions  re- 
specting the  mode  of  hunting,  matrimony,  worship  and  many 
other  things.  He  warned  them  against  the  evil  spirit,  and  jrave 
them  corn,  beans,  squash,  potatoes,  tobacco,  and  do^s  to  hunt 
their  game.  He  bid  them  go  toward  the  rising  of  the  sun,  and 
he  personally  guided  them,  until  they  came  to  a  river,  which 
they  named  Yehnonanatche  (that  is  going  around  a  mountain,) 
now  Mohawk,  they  went  down  the  bank  of  the  river  and  came 
to  where  it  discharges  into  a  great  river,  running  towards  the 
midway  sun,  they  named  it  Skaw-nay-taw-ty  (that  is  beyond 
the  pineries)  now  Hudson,  and  went  down  the  banks  of  the 
river  and  touched  the  bank  of  the  great  water.  The  company 
made  an  encampment  at  this  place  and  remained  for  a  while. 
The  people  was  then  of  one  language.  Some  of  them  went  on 
the  banks  of  the  great  waters,  towards  the  midway  sun,  and 
never  returned.  But  the  company  that  remained  at  the  camp 
returned  as  they  came — along  the  bank  of  the  river,  under  the 
direction  of  Taryenyawagon  (Holder  of  the  Heavens). 

This  company  were  a  particular  body,  which  called  them- 
selves of  one  household.  '  Of  these  there  were  six  families,  and 
they  entered  into  an  agreement  to  preserve  the  chain  of  alliance 
which  should  not  be  extinguished  under  any  circumstance. 

The  company  advanced  some  distance  up  the  river  of  Skaw- 
natawty  (Hudson).  The  Holder  of  the  Heavens  directed  the 
first  family  to  make  their  residence  near  the  bank  of  the  river, 
and  the  family  was  named  Tehawrogeh  (that  is,  a  speech  di- 
vided) now  Mohawk.  Their  language  soon  changed.  The 
company  then  turned  and  went  towards  the  sun-setting,  and 
traveled  about  two  days  and  a  half,  then  came  to  a  creek, 
which  was  named  Kawnatawteruh  (that  is  pineries).  The 
second  family  was  directed  to 'make  their  resident  near  the 
creek ;  and  the  family  was  named  Nehawretahgo  (that  is  big 


44  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

tree)  now  Oneida.  Their  language  was  changed  likewise.  The 
company  continued  to  proceed  toward  the  sun-setting  under  the 
direction  of  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens.  The  third  family  was 
directed  to  make  their  residence  on  a  mountain,  named  Onon- 
daga  (now  Onondaga),  and  the  family  was  named  Seuhnowhah- 
tah  (that  is,  carrying  the  name.)  Their  language  also  changed. 
The  rest  of  the  company  continued  their  journey  towards  the 
sun-setting.  The  fourth  family  was  directed  to  make  their 
residence  near  a  large  lake,  named  Goyogoh  (that  is  a  moun- 
tain rising  from  water)  now  Cayuga,  and  the  family  was  named 
Sho-nea-na-we-to-wah  (that  is  a  great  pipe).  Their  language 
was  altered.  The  rest  of  the  company  kept  their  course  to- 
wards the  sun-setting.  The  fifth  family  was  directed  to  make 
their  residence  near  a  high  mountain,  situated  south  of-  Can- 
andaigua  Lake,  which  was  named  Tehow-nea-nyo-hent  (that  is 
possessing  a  door)  now  Seneca.  Their  language  was  also 
changed.  The  sixth,  and  last  family,  went  on  their  journey 
toward  the  sun-setting,  until  they  touched  the  bank  of  the 
great  lake,  which  was  named  Kan-ha-g\va-rah-ka  (that  is  a  Cape) 
now  Erie,  and  then  went  toward,  between  the  midway  and 
sun-setting,  and  traveled  a  great  distance,  when  they  came  to 
a  large  river,  which  was  named  O-nah-we-yo-ka  (that  is  a  prin- 
cipal stream)  now  Mississippi.  The  people  discovered  a  grape- 
vine lying  across  the  river,  by  which  a  part  of  the  people  went 
over,  but  while  they  were  crossing  the  vine  broke.  They  were 
divided,  and  became  enemies  to  those  that  were  over  the  river 
in  consequence  of  which,  they  were  obliged  to  abandon  the 
journey.  Those  that  went  over  the  river  were  finally  lost  and 
forgotten  from  the  memory  of  those  that  remained  on  the 
eastern  banks. 

Ta-ren-ya-wa-go  (the  Holder  of  the  Heavens),  who  was  the 
patron  of  the  five  home  bands,  did  not  fail,  in  this  crisis,  to  di- 
rect them  their  way  also.  He  instructed  those  on  the  eastern 
bank  the  art  of  the  bow  and  arrows,  to  f  use  for  game  and  in 
time  of  danger.  After  giving  them  suitable  instructions,  he 


<>K   THE    1ROQUOIS,  OR   SIX    NATIONS.  45 

guided  their  footsteps  in  their  journeys,  south  and  east,  until 
they  had  crossed  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  and  with  some 
wanderings  they  finally  reached  the  shores  of  the  sea,  on  the 
coast  which  is  now  called  the  Carolinas.  By  this  time  their 
language  was  changed.  They  were  directed  to  fix  their  resi- 
dence on  the  banks  of  the  Gow-ta-no  (that  is,  pine  in  the  water) 
now  Neuse  River,  in  North  Carolina.  Here  Ta-ren-ya-wa-gon 
left  them  to  hunt,  increase  and  prosper,  whilst  he  returned  to 
direct  the  other  five  nations  to  form  their  confederacy. 

Tarenyawagon  united  in  one  person  the  power  of  a  God  and 
a  man,  and  gave  him  the  expressive  name  of  the  Holder  of  the 
Heavens,  and  was  capable  of  assuming  any  form  or  shape  that 
he  chosed,  but  appeared  to  them  only  in  the  form  of  a  man, 
and  taught  them  hunting,  gardening,  and  the  knowledge  of 
the  arts  of  war.  He  imparted  to  them  the  knowledge  of  the 
laws  and  government  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  gave  them  di- 
rections and  encouragement  how  to  fulfill  their  duties  and  ob- 
ligations. He  gave  them  corn,  beans,  and  fruits  of  various 
kinds,  with  the  knowledge  of  planting  those  fruits.  He  taught 
them  how  to  kill  and  to  cook  the  game.  He  made  the  forest 
free  to  all  the  tribes  to  hunt,  and  removed  obstructions  from 
the  streams.  He  took  his  position,  sometimes,  on  the  top  of 
high  cliffs,  springing,  if  needs  be,  over  frightful  chasms  ; 
and  he  .flew,  as  it  were,  over  great  lakes  in  a  wonderful  canoe 
of  immaculate  whiteness  and  of  magic  power. 

Having  finished  his  commission  with  the  Tuscaroras  at 
Cautanoh,  in  North  Carolina,  and  the  other  five  families, 
which  were  left  at  the  north,  he  came  down  to  closer  terms  and 
intimacy  with  the  Onondagas.  He  resolved  to  lay  aside  his 
divine  character  and  live  among  them,  that  he  might  exemplify 
the  maxims  which  he  had  taught.  And  for  this  purpose  he 
selected  a  handsome  spot  of  ground  on  the  southern  banks  of 
Cross  Lake,  New  York.  Here  he  built  his  cabin,  and  from  the 
shores  of  this  lake  he  went  into  the  forest,  like  the  rest  of  his 
companions,  in  quest  of  game  and  fish.  He  took  a  wife  of  the 


46  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

Onondagas,  by  whom  he  had  an  only  daughter,  whom  he  ten- 
derly loved,  and  most  kindly  and  carefully  treated  and  in- 
structed, so  that  she  was  known  far  and  near  as  his  favorite 
child,  and  was  regarded  almost  as  a  goddess.  The  excellence 
of  his  character,  and  his  great  sagacity  and  good  counsels,  led 
the  people  to  regard  him  with  veneration,  and  they  gave  him, 
in  his  sublunary  character,  the  name  of  Hi-a-wat-ha  (a  wise 
man).  People  came  to  him  from  all  quarters,  and  his  abode 
was  thronged  by  all  ages  and  conditions  who  came  for  advice. 

He  became  the  first  chief  of  all  the  land,  and  whomsoever 
he  made  his  companions  and  friends  were  likewise  clothed  with 
the  authority  of  chiefs  in  the  tribe.  In  this  manner  all  power 
came  naturally  into  his  hands,  and  the  tribe  rejoiced  that  they 
had  so  wise  and  good  a  man  as  their  ruler.  For  in  those  days 
each  tribe  was  independent  of  all  others ;  they  had  not  yet 
formed  a  league,  but  fought  and  made  war  with  each  other. 

Nothing  that  belonged  to  Hiawatha,  in  his  character  of  Ta- 
renyawagon,  was  more  remarkable  than  his  light  and  magic 
canoe,  which  shone  with  a  supernatural  lustre,  and  in  which  he 
had  performed  so  many  of  his  extraordinary  feats.  This  canoe 
was  laid  aside  when  he  came  to  fix  his  residence  at  Cross  Lake, 
and  never  used  it  but  for  great  and  extraordinary  purposes. 
When  great  councils  were  called,  and  he  assembled  the  wise 
men  to  deliberate  together,  the  sacred  canoe  was  carefully 
lifted  from  the  grand  lodge  ;  and  after  these  occasions  were 
ended,  it  was  carefully  returned  to  the  same  receptacle,  on  the 
shoulders  of  men,  who  felt  honored  in  being  the  bearers  of  such 
a  precious  burden. 

Thus  passed  away  many  years,  and  every  year  saw  the  people 
increasing  in  numbers,  skill,  arts  and  bravery.  It  was  among 
the  Onondagas  that  Tarenyawagon  had  located  himself, 
although  he  regarded  the  other  tribes  as  friends  and  brothers  ; 
he  had  become  indentified  as  an  adopted  member  of  this  par- 
ticular tribe.  Under  his  teaching  and  influence  they  became 
the  first  among  all  the  original  tribes,  and  rose  to  the  highest 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  47 

distinction  in  every  art  which  was  known  to  or  prized  by  the 
Akonoshuni  (Iroquois).  They  were  the  wisest  counsellors,  the 
best  orators,  the  most  expert  hunters,  and  the  bravest  warriors. 
They  also  afforded  the  highest  examples  of  obedience  to  the 
laws  of  the  Great  Spirit.  If  offences  took  place,  Hiawatha  re- 
dressed them,  and  his  wisdom  and  moderation  preserved  the 
tribe  from  feuds.  Hence,  the  Onondagas  were  early  noted 
among  all  the  tribes  for  their  pre-eminence.  He  appeared  to 
devote  his  chief  attention  to  them,  that  he  might  afterwards 
make  them  examples  to  the  others,  in  arts  and  wisdom.  They 
were  foremost  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Stonish  Giants  and  the 
killing  of  the  great  Serpent.  To  be  an  Onondaga  was  the 
highest  honor. 

While  Hiawatha  was  thus  living  in  domestic  life  quietly 
among  the  people  of  the  hills,  and  administering  their  simple 
government  with  wisdom,  they  became  alarmed  by  the  sudden 
news  of  the  approach  of  a  furious  and  powerful  enemy  from 
north  of  the  great  lakes.  As  the  enemy  advanced,  they  made 
an  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  men,  women  and  children.  The 
people  fled  from  their  villages  a  short  time  before  them,  and 
there  was  no  heart  in  the  people  to  make  a  stand  against  such 
powerful  and  ruthless  invaders.  In  this  emergency,  they  fled 
to  Hiawatha  for  his  advice.  He  counseled  them  to  call  a  gen- 
eral council  of  all  the  tribes  from  the  east  and  west.  "  For," 
said  he,  "  our  strength  is  not  in  the  war  club  and  arrows  alone, 
but  in  wise  counsels."  He  appointed  a  place  on  the  banks  of 
Onondaga  Lake  for  the  meeting.  It  was  a  clear  eminence 
from  which  there  was  a  wide  prospect.  Runners  were  dis- 
patched in  every  direction,  and  the  chiefs,  warriors  and  head- 
men forthwith  assembled  in  great  numbers/  bringing  with 
them,  in  the  general  alarm,  their  women  and  children.  Fleets 
of  canoes  were  seen  on  the  bosom  of  the  lake,  and  every  inte- 
terior  warpath  was  kept  open  by  the  foot-prints  of  the  different 
tribes,  hurrying  to  obey  the  summons  of  Hiawatha.  All  but 
the  wise  man  himself  had  been  there  for  three  days,  anxiously 


48  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

awaiting  the  arrival  of  Hiawatha,  when  a  messenger  was  dis- 
patched after  him.  They  found  him  gloomy  and  depressed. 
Some  great  burden  appeared  to  hang  on  his  mind.  He  told 
them  that  evil  lay  on  his  path,  and  that  he  had  fearful  fore- 
bodings of  ill-fortune.  He  felt  that  he  was  called  to  make 
some  great  sacrifice,  but  he  did  not  know  what  it  was,  it  seemed 
to  be  hid  from  him.  Least  of  all  did  he  think  it  was  to  be  his 
daughter  ;  ever  careful  of  her,  he  bade  her  kindly  to  accompany 
him.  Nothing  happened  to  hinder,  or  at  all  interrupt  their 
voyage.  The  Talismanic  canoe,  which  held  them,  gilded  si- 
lently down  the  waters  of  the  Seneca  ;  not  a  paddle  was  nec- 
essary to  give  it  impetus,\vhile  it  pursued  the  downward  course 
of  the  stream  till  they  reached  the  point  of  the  lake  outlet.  At 
this  point  Hiawatha  took  his  paddle  and  gave  it  impetus  against 
the  current,  until  they  entered  on  the  bright  and  calm  surface 
of  the  Onondaga,  cradled,  as  this  blue  sheet  of  water  is,  among 
the  lofty  and  far-swelling  hills.  When  the  white  canoe  of  the 
venerable  chief  appeared,  a  shout  of  welcome  rang  among 
those  hills.  The  day  was  calm  and  serene.  No  wind  ruffled  the 
lake,  and  scarcely  a  cloud  floated  in  the  sky  above.  But  while 
the  wise  man  was  measuring  his  steps  towards  the  place 
designated  for  the  council,  and  \vhile  ascending  from  the  wa- 
ter's edge,  a  rumbling  and  low  sound  was  heard,  as  if  it  were 
caused  by  the  approach  of  a  violent,  rushing  wind.  Instantly 
all  the  eyes  were  turned  upwards,  where  a  small  and  compact 
mass  of  cloudy  darkness  appeared.  It  gathered  in  size  and 
velocity  as  it  approached,  and  appeared  to  be  directed  inevit- 
ably to  fall  in  the  midst  of  the  assembly.  Every  one  fled  in 
consternation  but  Hiawatha  and  his  daughter.  He  stood 
erect,  with  ornaments  waving  in  his  frontlet,  and  besought  his 
daughter  calmly  to  await  the  issue,  4i  for  it  is  impossible,"  said 
he,  "  to  escape  the  power  of  the  Great  Spirit  If  he  has  deter- 
mined our  destruction  we  cannot,  by  running,  fly  from  him." 
She  modestly  assented  and  they  stood  together,  while  horror 
was  depicted  in  the  faces  of  the  others.  But  the  force  of  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  49 

descending  body  was  that  of  a  sudden  storm.  They  had 
hardly  taken  the  resolution  to  halt  when  an  immense  bird, 
with  long,  extended  wings,  came  down  with  swoop.  This 
gigantic  agent  of  the  sky  came  with  such  force  that  the  assem- 
bly felt  the  shock.  The  girl  being  in  a  nature,  and  embodied 
in  the  combination  of  the  Terrestial  and  Celestial  nature,  was 
beautiful  and  fascinating  in  her  looks  and  form,  was  borne 
away  by  this  Celestial  Bird  to  be  seen  no  more  upon  the  earth. 
But  Hiawatha  was  inconsolable  for  his  loss.  He  grieved  sore- 
ly, day  and  night,  and  wore  a  desponding  and  dejected  coun- 
tenance. But  these  were  only  faint  indications  of  the  feelings 
of  his  heart.  He  threw  himself  upon  the  ground,  and  refused 
to  be  comforted.  He  seemed  dumb  with  melancholy,  and  the 
people  were  concerned  of  his  life.  He  spoke  nothing ;  he  made 
no  answers  to  questions  put  to  him,  and  laid  still  as  if  dead. 
After  several  days  the  council  appointed  a  certain  merry- 
hearted  Chief  to  make  him  a  visit,  and  to  whisp'er  a  word  of 
consolation  in  his  ears  to  arouse  him  from  his  stupor.  The 
result  was  successful.  He  approached  with  ceremonies  and 
induced  him  to  arise,  and  named  the  time  when  the  council 
would  convene.  Yet  haggard  with  grief,  he  called  for  refresh- 
ments and  ate.  He  then  adjusted  his  wardrobe  and  head-dress 
and  went  to  the  cpuncil.  He  drew  his  robe  of  wolf-skin  grace- 
fully around  him,  and  walked  to  his  seat  at  the  head  of  the 
assembled  chiefs  with  a  majestic  step.  Stiliness  and  the  most 
profound  attention  reigned  in  the  council  while  he  presided, 
and  the  discussion  opened  and  proceeded.  The  subject  of  the 
invasion  was  handled  by  several  of  the  ablest  counselors  and 
the  bravest  warriors.  Various  plans  were  proposed  to  defeat 
the  enemy.  Hiawatha  listened  with  silence  until  all  had  fin- 
ished speaking.  His  opinion  was  then  asked.  After  a  brief 
allusion  of  the  calamity  which  had  befallen  him  through  the 
descent  of  the  great  bird  by  the  Great  Spirit,  he  spoke  to  the 
following  effect : 

"  I  have  listened  to  the  words  of  the  wise  men   and  brave 
(6) 


5O  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

chiefs,  but  it  is  not  fitting  that  we  should  do  a  thing  of  so 
much  importance  in  haste ;  it  is  a  subject  demanding  calm  re- 
flection and  mature  deliberation.  Let  us  postpone  the  decision 
for  one  day.  During  this  time  we  will  weigh  well  the  words 
of  the  speakers  who  have  already  spoken.  If  they  are  good, 
I  will  then  approve  of  them.  If  they  are  not,  I  will  then  open 
to  you  my  plan.  It  is  one  which  I  have  reflected  on,  and  feel 
confident  that  it  will  insure  safety." 

When  another  day  had  expired,  the  council  again  met. 
Hiawatha  entered  the  assembly  with  even  more  than  ordinary 
attention,  and  every  eye  was  fixed  upon  him,  when  he  began 
to  address  the  council  in  the  following  words : 

"  Friends  and  Brothers : — You  being  members  of  many 
tribes,  you  have  come  from  a  great  distance  ;  the  voice  of  war 
has  aroused  you  up  ;  you  are  afraid  of  your  homes,  your  wives 
and  your  children  ;  you  tremble  for  your  safety.  Believe  me, 
I  am  with  you.  My  heart  beats  with  your  hearts.  We  are 
one.  We  have  one  common  object.  We  come  to  promote 
our  common  interest,  and  to  determine  how  this  can  be  best 
done. 

"  To  oppose  those  hordes  of  northern  tribes,  singly  and 
alone,  would  prove  certain  destruction.  We  can  make  .no 
progress  in  that  way.  We  must  unite  ourselves  into  one  com- 
mon band  of  brothers.  We  must  have  but  one  voice.  Many 
voices  makes  confusion.  We  must  have  one  fire,  one  pipe  and 
one  war  club.  This  will  give  us  strength.  If  our  warriors  are 
united  they  can  defeat  the  enemy  and  drive  them  from  our 
land  ;  if  we  do  this,  we  are  safe. 

"  Onondaga,  you  are  the  people  sitting  under  the  shadow  of 
the  Great  Tree,  whose  branches  spread  far  and  wide,  and  whose 
roots  sink  deep  into  the  earth.  You  shall  be  the  first  nation, 
because  you  are  warlike  and  mighty. 

"  Oneida,  and  you,  the  people  who  recline  your  bodies 
against  the  Everlasting  Stone,  that  cannot  be  moved,  shall  be 
the  second  nation,  because  you  always  give  good  counsel. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  51 

"  Seneca,  and  you,  the  people  who  have  your  habitation  at 
the  foot  of  the  Great  Mountain,  and  are  overshadowed  by  its 
crags,  shall  be  the  third  nation,  because  you  are  all  greatly 
gifted  in  speech. 

"  Cayuga,  you,  whose  dwelling  is  in  the  Dark  Forest,  and 
whose  home  is  everywhere,  shall  be  the  fourth  nation,  because 
of  your  superior  cunning  in  hunting. 

"  Mohawk,  and  you,  the  people  who  live  in  the  open  coun- 
try, and  possess  much  wisdom,  shall  be  the  fifth  nation,  because 
you  understand  better  the  art  of  raising  corn  and  beans  and 
making  cabins. 

"You  five  great  and  powerful  nations,  with  your  tribes, 
must  unite  and  have  one  common  interest,  and  no  foes  shall 
disturb  or  subdue  you. 

"  And  you  of  the  different  nations  of  the  south,  and  you  of 
the  west,  may  place  yourselves  under  our  protection,  and  we 
will  protect  you.  We  earnestly  desire  the  alliance  and  friend- 
ship of  you  all. 

"  And  from  you,  Squaw-ki-haws  (being  a  remote  branch  of 
the  Seneca  Nation),  being  the  people  who  are  as  the  Feeble 
Bushes,  shall  be  chosen  a  Virgin,  who  shall  be  the  peace- 
maker for  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  more  particularly 
the  favored  Ako-no-shu-ne,  which  name  this  confederacy  shall 
ever  sustain.  If  we  unite  in  one  band  the  Great  Spirit  will 
smile  upon  us,  and  we  shall  be  free,  prosperous  and  happy ; 
but  if  we  shall  remain  as  we  are  we  shall  incur  his  displeasure. 
We  shall  be  enslaved,  and  perhaps  annihilated  forever. 

"  Brothers,  these  are  the  words  of  Hiawatha.  •  Let  them 
sink  deep  into  your  hearts.  I  have  done." 

A  deep  and  impressive  silence  followed  the  delivery  of  this 
speech.  On  the  following  day  the  council  again  assembled  to 
act  on  it.  High  wisdom  recommended  this  deliberation. 

The  union  of  the  tribes  into  one  confederacy  was  discussed 
and  unanimously  adopted.  To  denote  the  character  and  inti- 
macy of  the  union  they  employed  the  figure  of  a  single 


52  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

council-house,  or  lodge,  whose  boundaries  be  co-extensive  with 
their  territories.  Hence  the  name  of  Ako-no-shu-ne,  who  were 
called  the  Iroquois. 

The  great. bird  which  visited  them  from  heaven  brought  a 
precious  gift  to  the  warriors  in  the  white  plumes  which  she 
shed  at  the  visit.  Every  warrior,  as  he  approached  the  spot 
where  they  fell,  picked  up  a  feather  of  snowy  white  to  adorn 
his  crown  ;  and  the  celestial  visitant  thus  became  the  means  of 
furnishing  the  aspirants  of  military  fame  with  an  emblem 
which  was  held  in  the  highest  estimation.  Succeeding  genera- 
tions imbibed  the  custom  from  this  incident  to  supply  them- 
selves with  a  plumage  approaching  it  as  nearly  as  possible; 
they  selected  the  plume  of  the  white  heron. 

At  the  formation  of  the  confederacy  Ato-ta-rho,  being  con- 
sidered next  in  wisdom  and  all  other  traits  of  character  which 
constitutes  the  necessary  qualifications  of  an  honored  Sachem, 
was  ordained  as  the  heacl  Sachem  of  the  confederacy,  which 
office  has  been  transmitted  down  to  succeeding  generations  of 
the  Onondaga  Nation  to  the  present  time. 

Hiawatha,  the  guardian  and  founder  of  the  league,  having 
now  accomplished  the  wrill  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  the  with- 
drawal of  his  daughter  having  been  regarded  by  him  as  a  sign 
that  his  mission  was  ended,  he  immediately  prepared  to  make 
his  final  departure.  Before  the  great  council,  which  had 
adopted  his  advice  just  before  dispersing,  he  arose,  with  a  dig- 
nified air,  and  addressed  them  in  the  following  manner : 

"  Friends  and  Brothers  :~ — I  have  now  fulfilled  my  mission 
here  below  ;  I  have  furnished  you  seeds  and  grains  for  your 
gardens ;  I  have  removed  obstructions  from  your  waters,  and 
made  the  forest  habitable  by  teaching  you  how  to  expel  its 
monsters ;  I  have  given  you  fishing,  places  and  hunting 
grounds ;  I  have  instructed  you  in  the  making  and  using  of 
war  implements  ;  I  have  taught  you  how  to  cultivate  corn,  and 
many  other  arts  and  gifts.  I  have  been  allowed  by  the  Great 
Spirit  to  communicate  to  you.  Last  of  all,  I  have  aided  you 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  53 

to  form  a  league  of  friendship  and  union.  If  you  preserve 
this,  and  admit  no  foreign  element  of  power  by  the  admission 
of  other  nations,  you  will  always  be  free,  numerous  and  happy. 
If  other  tribes  and  nations  are  admitted  to  your  councils,  they 
will  sow  the  seed  of  jealousy  and  discord,  and  you  will  become 
few,  feeble  and  enslaved. 

"  Friends  and  brothers,  these  are  the  last  words  you  will 
hear  from  the  lips  of  Hiawatha.  The  Great  Creator  of  our 
bodies  calls  me  to  go ;  I  have  patiently  awaited  his  summons ; 
I  am  ready  to  go.  Farewell." 

As  the  voice  of  the  wise  man  ceased,  sweet  strains  of  music 
from  the  air  burst  on  the  ears  of  the  multitude.  The  whole 
sky  appeared  to  be  filled  with  melody  ;  and  while  all  eyes  were 
directed  to  catch  glimpses  of  the  sights,  and  enjoy  strains  of 
the  celestial  music  that  filled  the  sky,  Hiawatha  was  seen, 
seated  in  his  snow-white  canoe,  amid  the  air,  rising,  rising 
with  every  choral  chant  that  burst  out.  As  he  rose  the  sound 
of  the  music  became  more  soft  and  faint,  until  he  vanished 
amid  the  summer  clouds,  and  the  melody  ceased.  Thus  ter- 
minated the  labors  and  cares  of  the  long-cherished  memory 
of  Ta-ren-ya-wa-gon. 

I  will  now  resume  the  history  of  the  sixth  and  last  family, 
the  Tuscarora  On-gwe-hon-wa,  that  were  left  at  the  Neuse 
river,  or  Gan-ta-no.  Here  they  increased  in  numbers,  valor 
and  skill,  and  in  all  knowledge  of  the  arts  necessary  in  forest 
life.  The  country  was  wide  and  covered  with  dense  wilder- 
ness, large  rivers  and  lakes,  which  gave  shelter  to  many  fierce 
animals  and  monsters  which  beset  their  pathways  and  kept 
them  in  dread.  Now  the  Evil  Spirit  also  plagued  them  with 
monstrous  visitations.  They  were  often  induced  to  change 
their  locations  ;  sometimes  from  fear  of  enemies  and  sometimes 
from  epidemics,  or  some  strange  visitations. 


54 


LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 


I  will  now  relate  a  few  of  the  monsters  that  plagued  them : 
The  first  enemy  that  appeared  to  question  their  power  or  dis- 
turb their  peace  was  the  fearful  phenomenon  of  Ko-nea-rah- 
yah-neh,  or  the  flying  heads.  The  heads  were  enveloped  in 
beard  and  hair,  flaming  like  fire  ;  they  were  of  monstrous  size, 
and  shot  through  the  air  with  the  speed  of  meteors.  Human 
power  was  not  adequate  to  cope  with  them.  The  priests  pro- 
nounced them  a  flowing  power  of  some  mysterious  influence, 
and  it  remained  with  the  priests  alone  to  expel  them  by  their 
magic  power. 


FLYING   HEAD   AND   WOMAN   SITTING   BY   THE    FIRE. 

Drum  and  rattle  and  enchantments  were  deemed  more 
effective  than  arrows  or  clubs.  One  evening,  after  they 
had  been  plagued  a  long  time  with  fearful  visitations,  the  fly- 
ing head  came  to  the  door  of  a  lodge  occupied  by  a  single 
female  and  her  dog.  She  was  sitting  composedly  before  the 
fire  roasting  acorns,  which,  as  they  became  cooked,  she  delib- 
erately took  from  the  fire  and  ate.  Amazement  seized  the 
flying  head,  who  put  out  two  huge  black  paws  from  under  his 
streaming  beard.  Supposing  the  woman  to  be  eating  live 
coals  he  withdrew,  and  from  that  time  he  came  no  more 
among  them. 


OF  THE    IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  55 

And  they  were  also  invaded  by  a  still  more  fearful  enemy, 
the  Ot-nea-yar-heh,  or  Stonish  Giants.  They  were  a  powerful 
tribe  from  the  wilderness,  tall,  fierce  and  hostile,  and  resistance 
to  them  was  vain.  They  defeated  and  overwhelmed  an  army 
which  was  sent  out  against  them,  and  put  the  whole  country 
in  fear.  These  giants  were  not  only  of  great  strength,  but 
they  were  cannibals,  devouring  men,  women  and  children  in 
their  inroads. 


STOMSll    ulANT   CHASING   INDIANS. 

It  is  said  by  the  Shawnees  that  these  giants  were  descended 
from  a  certain  family  which  was  journeying  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Mississippi.  After  some  of  them  had  crossed  the  river  on 
a  vine  it  broke,  which  left  the  main  body  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  river.  Those  who  were  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  went 
toward  the  northwest.  Being  abandoned  in  their  wanderings, 
and  being  vagrants,  without  any  knowledge  of  the  arts  of  life, 
they  forgot  the  rules  of  humanity.  They  at  first  began  to  eat 
their  game  in  the  raw  flesh,  which  led  them  finally  to  become 
cannibals,  and  they  practiced  to  roll  themselves  in  the  sand, 
which  caused  their  bodies  to  be  covered  with  a  hard  skin,  so 


56  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

that  the  arrows  of  the  Tuscaroras  only  rattled  against  their 
rough  bodies  and  fell  at  their  feet.  And  the  consequence  was, 
that  they  were  obliged  to  hide  in  caves  and  glens,  and  were 
brought  into  subjection  by  those  fierce  invaders  for  many  win- 
ters. At  length  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens  visited  his  people, 
and  finding  that  they  were  in  great  distress,  he  determined  to 
relieve  them  of  these  barbarous  invaders.  To  accomplish  this 
he  changed  himself  as  into  one  of  those  giants.  As  you  will 
remember,  it  is  said  that  he  was  able  to  change  himself  into 
any  shape  that  he  wished.  He  then  joined  himself  with  the 
invaders,  and  brandishing  his  heavy  war-club,  led  them  on  un- 
der the  pretence  of  finding  the  other  five  nations,  which  they 
were  also  in  the  habit  of  visiting.  When  they  came  near  to 
the  strong  fort  at  Onondaga,  they  being  weary  of  the  long 
journey,  and  the  night  being  dark,  their  leader  bade  them  lie 
down  at  the  foot  of  a  mountain  until  the  customary  time  to. 
make  the  attack,  which  was  at  the  break  of  day.  But  during 
the  night  the  Indian  benefactor  ascended  the  height  and  over- 
whelmed the  slumberers  below  with  a  vast  mass  of  rocks.  At 
this  catastrophe  only  one  escaped  to  carry  the  news  of  their 
dreadful  fate,  and  he  fled  toward  the  north. 

The  Tuscaroras  and  the  other  five  nations  were  so  much 
troubled  with  giants  and  other  monsters  that  they  were  obliged 
to  build  forts  to  protect  themselves.  The  way  they  built  them 
was  always  by  selecting  an  eminence,  or  rocky  cliff,  and  on  the 
back  part  was  dug  a  trench  according  to  the  plan  of  the  fort. 
Then  timbers  were  set  in  the  trench  upright,  projecting 
above  the  ground  several  feet,  and  being  adjusted  together  as 
close  as  possible,  and  the  trench  being  filled  in  again.  They 
had  two  gates,  one  way  to  get  their  water,  the  other  for-  a 
sally  port. 

They  were  also  molested  by  a  terrific  animal  which  they 
called  Ro-qua-ho — a  variegated  lizzard — a  swift  runner  and 
strikes  very  violent  blows  with  its  tail,  which  destroyed  many 
hunters  while  lying  in  lurk  for  them.  One  day  while  a  party 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  57 

of  hunters  were  on  their  journey  to  camp-out  for  the  purpose 
of  hunting,  the  party  consisting  of  four,  they  came  to  a  very 
large  hollow  tree  where  they  noticed  quite  a  number  of  great 
marks  of  claws  on  the  bark  of  the  tree.  Supposing  it  to  be 
the  lodge  of  bears,  they  laid  their  bundles  down  and  made 
ready  for  their  game.  One  of  them  bounded  on  the  tree  and 
climbed  it,  and  he  struck  the  trunk  of  the  tree  several  times. 
When  the  supposed  bear  appeared,  to  their  consternation  it 
was  found  to  be  the  enemy  they  so  much  dreaded,  the  Ro- 
qua-ho.  The  person  on  the  tree  only  stepped  behind  it  and 
the  other  three  ran  away  for  their  lives.  The  Ro-qua-ho  came 
down  and  pursued  them,  and  while  yet  in  sight  one  was  caught, 
killed  and  brought  back,  and  he  carried  the  body  into  the  tree. 
Then- he  went  after  the  second  which  was  brought  in  a  short 
time,  after  which,  he  went  for  the  third  ;  then  the  one  on  the 
tree  came  down  and  ran  away  also.  While  on  his  way  he 
heard  a  voice  calling  him  ;  he  stopped,  and  behold,  a  man  of 
stately  form,  with  long  flowing  hair  stood  and  said,  "  Why  run? 
I  have  seen  the  distress  of  my  people,  I  have  come  to  deliver 
them  out  of  trouble;  now  confide  in  me  and  we  will  prevail. 
I  am  your  benefactor,  Tarenyawagon.  Get  behind  me,  the 
enemy  is  approaching." 

In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  this  Celestial  being  was  changed, 
and  assumed  himself  into  a  great  white  bear.  When  the  Ro- 
quaho  came  a  great  struggle  ensued,  but  with  the  help  of  the 
man  the  enemy  was  killed. 

They  were  again  molested  by  an  extraordinary  and  ferocious 
animal  in  various  places — a  mammoth  bear.  One  morning 
while  a  party  of  hunters  were  in  their  camp,  they  were  alarm- 
ed by  a  great  tumult  breaking  out  from  the  forest.  Upon 
going  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  this  extraordinary  noise,  they 
saw  the  great  monster  on  the  bank  pawing  and  rolling  stones 
and  logs  in  every  direction,  exhibiting  the  utmost  rage. 
Another  great  animal  of  the  cat  kind  appeared,  and  seized  the 
bear  and  a  dreadful  fight  ensued.  In  the  end  the  bear  got  the 

(7) 


58  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

worst  of  it  and  retired  horribly  mangled,  and  never  was  heard 
of  afterwards. 

After  a  while  a  pestiferous  and  annoying  creature  of  the 
insect  kind  appeared  in  the  guise  of  the  Ro-tay-yo  (a  huge 
mosquito).  It  first  appeared  among  the  Tuscaroras  along  the 
Neuse  river.  It  flew  about  with  vast  wings,  making  a  loud 
noise,  with  a  long  stinger ;  and  on  whomsoever  it  lighted  it 
sucked  out  all  the  blood  and  killed  them.  Many  warriors 
were  destroyed  in  this  way,  and  all  attempts  made  to  subdue 
it  were  vain  ;  but  at  length  it  retired  of  itself.  Next  they 
heard  that  it  appeared  about  the  fort  at  Onondaga,  where  it 
also  destroyed  many  lives,  until  Tarenyawagon  made  a  visit  to 
the  ruler  of  the  Onondagas.  The  great  mosquito  happened  to 
come  flying  about  the  fort  as  usual  at  that  time.  Tarenya- 
wago  immediately  made  his  attack,  but  such  was  the  rapidity 
of  its  flight,  that  he  could  scarcely  keep  in  sight  of  it.  He 
chased  it  around  the  borders  of  the  great  lakes,  towards  the 
sun-setting,  and  around  the  great  country  at  large,  east  and 
west.  At  last  he  overtook  it,  and  took  his  strong  bow  and 
sent  an  arrow  which  struck  him  through  the  heart  and  killed 
him,  near  Gen-an-do-a  (the  salt  lake  of  Onondaga).  From  the 
blood  flowing  out  on  this  occasion  were  the  present  species  of 
small  mosquito  originated. 

I  have  now  related  a  few  of  the  tragedies  of  the  dark  recess- 
es of  the  forest,  from  the  many  that  our  tradition  relates. 

There  was  also  a  little  old  man  of  singular  appearance  that 
frequented  among  them  at  their  ball  plays,  and  did  not  seem 
to  be  inclined  to  make  acquaintance  with  any  one,  but  kept 
by  himself  and  appeared  to  be  mild  and  humble.  At  length 
this  man  became  very  sick  with  putrefying  sores  from  head  to 
foot  and  was  very  loathesome.  Nobody  knew  who  he  was  or 
where  he  came  from  ;  he  had  no  home  ;  he  gave  his  name  as 
Qua-ra,  or  Rabbit ;  he  went  from  house  to  house  of  all  the 
different  clans  or  tribes  in  the  nation,  as  for  instance,  the  Eel, 
Snipe,  Beaver,  Turtle,  Wolf,  Deer.  When  he  would  approach 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  59 

the  house,  seemingly  to  go  in,  they  would  loathe  him  to  enter, 
and  when  he  came  to  the  doorstep  he  would  seem  to  hear 
their  thoughts  and  then  return  ;  thus  he  was  repulsed  from  all 
the  houses  of  the  above  clans,  he  finally  came  to  the  house  of 
the  Bear  clan.  When  the  mistress  of  the  house  observed  him 
coming,  she  had  pity  on  him,  and  presently  prepared  a  bed  for 
him  with  the  best  deerskins  she  had ;  when  he  came  to  the 
door  he  knew  her  hospitable  heart  and  went  in.  She  immedi- 
ately assured  him  of  his  welcome  in  her  meanly  hut,  and  that 
she  was  ready  to  do  everything  in  her  power  to  relieve  his  dis- 
tress, and  appointed  his  lodge  where  he  had  laid  himself  near- 
ly exhausted.  He  then  told  her  to  go  and  get  the  root  of  a 
certain  kind  of  plant,  which  she  immediately  did  and  prepared 
according  to  his  direction,  which  he  took  and  readily  recovered. 
He  then  went  through  a  series  of  diseases,  directing  her  as 
before  to  get  the  different  kind  of  medicines  for  the  different 
diseases.  Lastly,  he  became  sick  with  that  fatal  disease,  con- 
sumption. This  he  said  was  incurable,  and  he  must  die.  He 
then  told  her  he  was  a  messenger  from  Tarenyawagon,  to  show 
them  the  diseases  that  they  should  be  subjected  to,  and  also 
the  medicine  to  cure  them.  And  also  to  tell  them  the  predic- 
tions of  their  fate  and  dcom.  Said  he  could  not  withhold  the 
water  from  his  eyes,  or  keep  from  quaking  when  he  thought 
of  their  irrevocable  doom  to  which  they  were  destined,  and 
said  :  "  There  is  a  habitation  beyond  these  great  waters  to- 
wajds  the  sun-rising,  which  are  inhabited  by  beings  of  very 
pale  faces,  and  are  looking  only  to  themselves,  have  pity  for 
nobody,  and  make  their  delight  in  doing  mischief.  They  have 
killed  Rah-wah-ne-yo  (God) ;  they  mocked  him  and  done  all 
manner  of  bad  things  to  him,  and  finally,  they  fastened  him  to 
a  tree  until  he  died.  But  death  and  the  grave  had  not  power 
to  hold  kirn.  He  arose  and  lives  again,  and  he  has  gone  to 
the  world  above,  in  those  happy  hunting  grounds  where  all 
good  O-qua-ho-wa  (Indians),  uill  go  when  they  die,  and  will 
see  him  as  he  is. 


60  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

"  Now  this  class  of  pale-faces  will  come  across  the  great  wa- 
ters and  make  their  abode  on  this  island,  and  will  bring  poison 
to  give  you  to  drink,  which  will  poison  the  spirit  and  kill  the 
body.  They  will  kill  your  husbands,  brothers  and  sons,  and 
drive  you  away  to  the  sun-setting,  and  will  deprive  the  child- 
ren that  are  coming  behind,  off  their  domain.  They  will  drive 
you  until  you  are  in  the  great  salt  water  up  to  your  waist. 
Oh,  hostess,  this  is  the  final  doom  of  your  great  nation. 

"  And  now  as  for  you,  Oh,  mother,  I  have  no  words  that  I 
can  utter,  to  express  the  sincere  gratitude  of  my  inmost  soul. 
I  have  nothing  to  give  to  compensate  you  for  all  the  tender- 
ness you  have  given  me.  But  my  blessings  I  will  leave  with 
you.  I  place  in  the  midst  of  your  clan,  the  Bear,  a  ma- 
jestic pine  tree,  which  is  ever  green,  and  as  the  top  reaches 
above  all  other  trees,  so  will  your  clan  be.  Wherever  the  na- 
tion will  be  driven  to,  your  clan  will  multiply  aboVe  all  others, 
and  be  the  ruler  of  the  nation.  This  is  all  I  have  to  deliver 
unto  you.  I  now  commend  myself  to  that  Great  Spirit  that 
has  made  us  all,  who  ruleth  above." 

Thus  ended  the  last  messenger  of  Tarenyawagon,  who  is 
now  basking  in  the  pleasures  of  that  hunting  ground  in  the 
world  above. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  6l 


TUSCARORA. 


Before  the  discovery,  by  Columbus,  the  Tuscartfras  consisted 
of  six  towns,  and  they  were  a  powerful  nation,  numbering  over 
twelve  hundred  warriors,  which,  at  a  ratio  according  to  the  rule 
of  estimating,  would  bring  them  at  about  five  or  six  thousand 
souls. 

The  Tuscaroras  had  many  years  of  enjoyment  and  peaceful 
possession  of  their  domain,  consisting  of  six  towns  on  the  Ro- 
anoke,  Neuse,  Taw  and  Pemlico  rivers,  in  the  State  of  North 
Carolina.  And  they  were  also  confederated  to  six  other 
nations,  which  were  the  Corees,  Mattamuskeets,  Notaways 
and  the  Bear  River  Indians ;  the  names  of  the  other  two 
nations  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain.  My  readers  will  readily 
see  why  some  writers  have  it  that  they  consisted  in  twelve 
towns,  and  other  writers  would  have  it  that  they  consisted 
in  six  towns.  The  real  Tuscaroras  consisted  in  six  towns  ;  but 
with  the  confederate  nations,  altogether,  were  known  to  be  in 
twelve  towns,  and  all  these  different  nations  which  composed 
the  confederacy  went  under  the  name  of  Tuscarora,  the  Tus- 
caroras being  the  most  powerful  of  the  several  nations. 

The  tradition  of  the  Tuscaroras  admits  of  having  captured 
Lawson  and  his  party,  and  executed  some  of  them  to  death' on 
account  of  their  encroachments  upon  their  domain  ;  but  con- 
cerning the  massacre  of  Oct.  2d,  1711,  the  Tuscaroras  emphat- 
ically deny  having  taken  any  part  in  the  affair  whatever,  offic- 


62  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

ially.  The  project  was  presented  to  them  and  in  the  council 
of  the  sachems,  chiefs  and  warriors,  they  emphatically  declined 
taking  any  part  in  such  a  movement,  but  said  if  the  colonists 
made  encroachments  and  trespass  on  their  domain,  it  is  no 
more  than  right  and  just  that  we  defend  our  rights,  and  even 
cautioned  their  young  men  that  they  should  not  take  any  part 
whatever  in  the  action;  but,  nevertheless,  there  were  a  few  of 
the  rash  and  reckless  warriors  that  took  part  in  the  disorder. 

The  Corees,  Mattamuskeets,  and  Bear  River  Indians  seemed 
to  be  the  instigators  of  the  project  ;  but  there  were  several 
other  nations  that  took  part  in  the  massacre.  These  three  na- 
tions being  considered  Tuscaroras,  on  account  of  the  confeder- 
acy, and  the  capture  of  Lawson  and  his  party  a  little  previous 
to  this  time  by  the  Tuscaroras,  led  the  colonists  to  conclude 
that  it  was  the  Tuscaroras  who  caused  the  disaster,  and  to 
them  was  directed  the  feud  of  the  colonists. 

A  little  previous  to  these  disorders,  it  seems  that  there  were 
some  white  men,  as  our  tradition  states,  with  long  coats  and 
wide  brimmed  hats,  visited  several  nations  of  the  Indians  in 
that  neighborhood,  and  appeared  to  be  very  friendly  toward 
them,  wished  them  success  in  everything,  and  told  them  that 
those  settlers  who  were  on  the  borders  of  their  lands  and  con- 
stantly encroaching  and  committing  depredations  upon  the 
Indians,  were  not  of  the  government,  but  were  merely  squat- 
ters, who  settled  there  of  their  own  accord,  and  if  they  were 
cut  off,  there  would  be  none  to  avenge  them,  and  were  advised 
to  do  so. 

It  has  always  been  a  question  in  my  mind  who  those  white 
men  were,  to  give  such  rash  advice.  Were  they  Quakers  ? 
But  what  motive  had  they  in  advising,  from  which  so  great  a 
disaster  was  the  result  ?  Or,  were  they  men  in  disguise,  from 
the  county  of  Bath,  in  which  the  massacre  was  committed,  to 
make  the  Indians  believe  that  they  were  Quakers,  as  the  two 
counties  were  in  arms  against  each  other  at  that  time. 


OF   THE    1ROQUOIS,   OR  SIX   NATIONS.  63 

To  coroborate  the  tradition  above,  I  would  call  your  atten- 
tion to  part  of  a  letter  from  President  Pollock  to  Lord  Craven, 
in  the  year  1712,  who  attributes  the  calamity  thus  : 

41  Our  divisions,"  says  he,  "  chiefly  occasioned  by  the  Quak- 
ers, and  some  other  ill-disposed  persons,  have  been  the  cause 
of  all  the  troubles,  for  the  Indians  were  informed  by  some  of 
the  traders  that  the  people  who  lived  here  are  only  a  few  vag- 
abonds, who  had  run  away  from  other  governments  and  set- 
tled here  of  their  own  accord,  without  any  authority,  so  that  if 
they  were  cut  off,  there  would  be  none  to  revenge  them.  This 
with  their  seeing  our  differences  rise  to  such  a  heighth,  that 
consisting  of  two  counties  only,  were  in  arms  one  against  the 
other,  encouraged  them  to  fall  upon  the  county  of  Bath,  ex- 
pecting it  would  have  no  assistance  from  this  nor  any  other 
of  the  English  plantations.  This  is  the  chief  cause  that  moved 
the  Indians  to  rise  against  us,  as  far  as  I  understand." 

The  Tuscaroras  never  had  the  inclination  of  cutting  off  the 
inhabitance  of  the  pale  faces.  Nevertheless,  they  did  not  al- 
ways remain  idle  or  unconcerned  spectators  of  the  feuds  and 
dissensions  that  so  long  prevailed  among  the  white  people,  to- 
ward the  red  men.  The  successive  and  regular  encroachmants 
on  their  hunting  grounds  and  plantations,  which  the  increase 
of  the  European  population  occasioned,  had  not  always  been 
submitted  to  without  murmur. 

Although  they  were  pleased  with  the  neighbors,  from  whom 
they  had  trade  for  their  furs,  and  could  procure  spirituous 
liquors  and  other  articles,  which  tended  to  the  gratification  of 
their  real  or  imaginary  wants.  And  they  were  required  to  sur- 
render larger  and  larger  portions  of  their  domain,  and  at  last, 
the  removal  of  families  from  the  neighborhood  of  their  long 
cherished  memories  of  the  graves  of  their  ancestors,  to  the 
more  distant  and  less  valuable  tracts  of  land.  Other  causes  of 
animosity  and  ill-will  were  not  wanting.  Their  hunters  were 
shot  down  like  so  many  beasts,  at  the  edge  of  the  settlement, 
killed  in  their  wigwams,  their  young  females'  chastity  violated, 


64  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

and  many  other  things  might  be  related,  which  their  tradition 
shows.  But  I  have  neither  heart  nor  inclination  to  bring  to  a 
resurrection  the  long  gone-by  memories  of  our  forefathers.  I 
would  that. all  were  cast  into  oblivion,  where  might  not  be 
found  neither  trace  nor  track;  but  rather  that  the  chain  of 
friendship  which  has  existed  for  more  than  a  century  between 
the  Tuscaroras  and  the  United  States  Government  may  be 
made  brighter  and  brighter  as  time  rolls  on. 

I  have  said  that  the  Tuscaroras  never  had  the  inclination  of 
cutting  off  the  first  colonies,  and  if  that  were  their  desire, 
how  readily  would  they  have  excepted  the  advice  of  President 
Thomas  Carey,  through  one  of  his  counsel — Edward  Porter — 
in  the  year  1710,  of  which  you  will  find  in  Martin's  History  of 
'North  Carolina  a  difficulty  between  Gov.  Hyde  and  the  above, 
to-wit.:  "  Before  any  relief  could  be  sent  he  attempted  the 
landing  of  some  of  his  men  under  fire  of  his  brig,  but  they 
were  repulsed  by  the  militia  of  the  neighborhood,  which  Gov. 
Hyde  had  time  to  collect.  They  returned  on  board,  and  their 
Chief  sought  a  safe  retreat  in  the  swamps  of  the  Tar  river, 
where  he  raised  his  standard  and  endeavored  to  bring  the  Tus- 
carora  Indians  into  an  alliance.  For  this  purpose  he  dispatched 
to  them  Edward  Porter,  one  of  his  counsel,  who  endeavored 
by  promises  of  great  rewards  to  induce  them  to  cut  off  all  the 
inhabitants  of  that  part  of  the  province  who  adhered  to  Gov. 
Hyde.  This  was  acceded  to  by  some  of  his  young  warriors, 
but  when  the  matter  was  debated  in  council  the  old  men  dis- 
suaded them  from  listening  to  Porter." 

Now,  did  not  some  of  Carey's  men  go  afterwards  to  some  of 
the  neighboring  Indian  nations  and  induced  them,  in  the  year 
1710,  to  commit  the  massacre? 

I  suppose  to  the  critical  reader,  and  to  the  people  generally, 
my  writing  will  appear  to  them  fictitious,  because  of  their  first 
impression,  which  has  been  taught  them  by  many  historians. 
Historians  generally  have  given  only  one  side  of  the  story, 
and  have  avoided,  as  much  as  possible,  to  give  the  history  of 


OF  Tl^E   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  65 

the  wrongs  done  to  the  Tuscaroras,  but  they  are  very  scrupu- 
lous to  preserve  the  history  of  the  capture  of  Lawson,  his 
execution  and  of  the  massacre,  which  they  allege  to  have  been 
committed  by  the  Tuscaroras,  and  are  styled  by  many  as  being 
inimical,  haughty,  jealous,  warlike  bloodhounds,  bloodthirsty 
and  scarcely  to  be  human.  These  are  the  first  impressions 
made  by  the  historians  upon  the  mind  of  the  world.  I  suppose, 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  general  verdict,  that  it  was  right ; 
that  they  were  crushed  as  a  nation,  their  domain  snatched 
from  them,  driven  into  the  cold  world,  and  not  a  word  has 
been  written  by  historians,  or  the  Tuscaroras  themselves,  to 
vindicate  their  cause. 

But  with  all  the  great  tide  of  prejudiced  feelings  towards 
the  Tuscaroras,  I  have  ventured  to  write  their  history  as  I  have 
received  it,  and  think  it  to  be  true. 

After  the  massacre,  and  the  Tuscaroras  heard  it  reported 
that  they  were  charged  with  being  the  author  of  the  disaster, 
they  immediately  sent  messengers  and  denied  the  charge  of 
having  officially  taken  any  part  in  the  disorder,  but  acknowl- 
edged that  a  few  of  the  reckless  and  lawless  warriors  did  take 
part  against  their  admonitions,  but  they  were  willing  to  make 
all  the  restoration  that  was  in  their  power  to  do,  and  would 
fight  for  them  if  necessary.  At  different  times  they  petitioned, 
remonstrated  and  supplicated  for  peace,  which  was  slighted 
and  disregarded,  and  only  produced  more  violence  and  insult. 

Notice  what  Governor  Spotswood,  of  Virginia,  said  concern- 
ing the  Tuscaroras,  to-wit : 

"  On  the  first  of  the  disaster  I  sent  a  detachment'  of  the 
militia  to  the  tributary  Indians  of  this  province  to  prevent 
them  from  joining  in  the  war,  and  understanding  that  the  In- 
dians in  some  of  the  Tuscarora  towns  had  refused  to  march 
against  the  whites,  sent  a  messenger  to  invite  them,  with  the 
rest  of  the  friendly  tribes,  to  a  conference  at  the  Nottoway 
line,  on  the  southern  border  of  Virginia,  where  he  met  them 
on  the  /th  of  November." 
(8) 


66  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND  "LAWS 

"  The  Governor,  after  entering  into  some  conversation  with 
the  Chiefs,  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  the  report  which  his 
messengers  had  made,  from  their  observations  while  in  the 
Tuscarora  towns,  that  they  were  very  desirous  of  continuing 
in  peace,  and  were  greatly  concerned  that  any  of  their  nation 
should  have  joined  in  the  massacre." 

The  Chiefs,  after  accounting  for  the  delay  that  occurred,  ex- 
pressed the  desire  of  the  Indians  of  their  towns  to  continue  in 
strict  friendship  with  the  whites,  and  assist  them  in  chastising 
the  authors  of  the  late  disorder. 

"  But  now  an  unfortunate  difference  arose  between  the  Gov- 
ernor and  the  burgesses,  the  latter  insisting  on  the  passage  of 
a  bill  for  raising  an  army  in  Virginia,  without  trusting  to  the 
sincerity  of  the  profession  of  the  Tuscarora  Chiefs.  The 
Governor  refusing  to  accede  to  this  proposition,  and  declin- 
ing to  co-operate  in  their  plans,  the  dispute  ended  by.  a  disso- 
lution of  the  assembly." 

There  was  at  one  time  a  treaty  of  peace  concluded  between 
the  Sachems  and  Chiefs  of  the  Tuscaroras  and  Governor  Spots- 
wood,  of  Virginia,  and  one  of  the  conditions  of  the  treaty  was 
to  help  in  chastising  the  authors  of  the  late  massacre.  In 
conformity  with  this  pledge  the  Tuscaroras  made  an  attack  on 
the  Mattamuskeets,  where  they  obtained  thirty  scalps  and 
presented  them  to  the  authorities  of  the  whites,  of  which  they 
pretended  to  be  pleased.  I  don't  doubt  but  that  they  were 
really  pleased,  but  not  with  any  good  feelings  towards  the 
Tuscaroras.  I  suppose  the  object  was  to  get  .all  the  other  In- 
dian nations  alienated  from  them,  so  that  in  due  time  they 
might  be  easily  conquered,  because  they  were  the  nation  that 
the  whites  seemed  bent  on  destroying.  The  Tuscaroras  had 
faith  in  the  treaty,  but  only  to  disappoint  them  in  the  thought 
of  having  the  dark  cloud  which  hung  so  glowingly  over  them 
taken  away.  It  is  said  by  historians  that  the  Tuscaroras  dis- 
regarded the  treaty  and  began  hostilities.  But  I  will  relate  a 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  67 

tradition,  handed  down  from  generation  to  generation,  which 
is  as  follows,  to-wit : 

Some  little  time  after  the  treaty  concluded,  several  white 
men  went  into  one  of  their  towns  and  said  that  they  were  sent 
by  the  government  to  distribute  among  them  an  annuity  of 
goods  in  token  of  friendship  ;  and  also  said,  "  In  token  of  your 
sincerity  to  the  treaty  of  peace,  you  will  all  repair  to  a  place 
where  there  is  a  cord  stretched  out  in  a  straight  line,  you  must 
all  take  hold  of  the  line  with  your  right  hand,  and  all  those 
that  refuse  to  take  hold  will  be  considered  as  hostile  and  will 
be  omitted  in  the  distribution  of  the  goods."  They  all  went 
to  the  place  designated  and  found  the  cord  strung  out  for 
nearly  a  mile ;  at  one  end  of  it  was  a  bundle  covered  with 
cloth,  which,  as  they  supposed,  contained  the  goods  ;  so  the 
unsuspecting  Indians,  women  and  children,  with  eager  hearts, 
laid  hold  on  the  rope.  When  it  was  thought  that  they  were 
in  a  proper  position,  the  white  men  all  at  once  uncovered  the 
supposed  goods,  which  was  a  large  cannon,  and  being  prepared 
to  shoot  in  a  line  with  the  cord  it  was  at  once  fired  and  roared 
like  thunder.  In  a  moment  the  ground  along  the  cord  was 
strewn  with  the  meats  of  the  Tuscaroras.  This  is  one  of  the 
effects  of  the  treaty  at  that  time. 

I  will  copy  a  report  of  Governor  Spotswood  to  the  Lord's 
Commissioners  of  Trade,  in  the  year  1711,  to-wit : 

"  Had  they,"  said  he,  "  really  intended  to  carry  on  the  war 
against  the  Indians,  they  could  not  have  done  it  in  a  more 
frugal  way  than  by  the  treaty  I  concluded  with  the  Tuscarora 
chiefs. 

"  Indeed,  some  of  that  house,  since  the  dissolution,  own 
more  freely  than  they  would  do  while  sitting,  that  most  of  the 
irregularities  of  their  proceedings  are  owing  to  some  rash 
votes,  passed  without  foresight,  which  they  could  not  after- 
wards get  over  without  breaking  the  rules  of  their  house  ;  and 
so  they  chose,  rather,  to  let  the  country  suffer  than  to  own 
in  an  error. 


68  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

'•  Some  of  the  Tuscarora  chiefs  have  lately  been  with  Gov- 
ernor Spotswood,  of  Virginia,  and  pretend  a  great  inclination 
to  peace. 

"  They  are  again  to  be  with  him  on  the  26th  of  this  month  ; 
we  are  to  send  two  agents  to  meet  them  there — Mr.  Tobias 
Knight  and  Mayor  Christophe  Gale — not  with  any  expectation 
that  the  Governor  will  make  any  treaty  for  us,  for  that  would 
be  dishonorable-  to  your  lordship  and  make  us  appear  con- 
temptible in  the  eyes  of  the  Indians,  but  with  a  view  to  hear 
what  they  have  to  propose." 

I  might  quote  many  more  passages  similar  to  those  above, 
but  let  these  few  suffice  to  show  how  the  Tuscaroras  were 
treated.  Now,  finally,  with  a  combination  of  causes,  they 
were,  in  1713,  crushed  and  broken  down  as  a  nation,  to  satisfy 
the  inclinations  of  the  white  people,  persecutions  being  kept 
up  by  neighboring  whites  and  southern  Indians  until  June  fol- 
lowing. The  Oneida  Indians,  having  heard  of 'the  disaster  to 
the  Tuscarora  Nation,  invited  them  to  come  and  make  their 
dwelling  among  them  ;  so,  accordingly,  they  left  Carolina  and 
took  their  journey  north  to  rejoin  their  sister  nations. 

Methink  I  can'see  them  leaving  their  once  cherished  homes 
—the  aged,  the  helpless,  the  women  and  children,  and  the 
warriors  faint  and  few — the  ashes  are  cold  on  their  native 
hearth  ;  the  smoke  no  more  curls  round  their  lowly  cabin  ; 
they  move  on  with  slow,  unsteady  steps  ;  they  turn  to  take  a 
last  look  upon  their  doomed  village  and  cast  a  last  glance 
upon  the  long  cherished  memories  of  their  fathers'  graves. 
They  shed  no  tears ;  they  utter  no  cries  ;  they  heave  no  groans  ; 
they  linger  but  a  moment.  They  know  and  feel  that  there  is 
for  them  still  one  more  remove  further,  not  distant  nor  unseen. 
One  bright,  sunny  June  morning,  in  the  year  Ij8^3>  was  one 
of  the  darkest  days  that  the  Tuscaroras  ever  witnessed,  when 
most  of  the  nation  took  their  pace  to  the  north  until  they 
came  within  the  bounds  of  the  Oneida  domain,  about  two 
miles  west  of  Tamaqua,  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  where 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  69 

they  located  and  set  out  apple  trees  which  can  be  seen  to  this 
day ;  some  of  the  trees  will  measure  about  two  feet  in  diam- 
eter. Here  they  dwelled  for  about  two  years. 

In  about  the  year  1815,  the  Iroquois,  being  the  Mohawk, 
Onondaga,  Seneca,  Oneida  and  Cayuga  nations,  which  were 
then  called  the  five  nations,  had  a  general  council  where  the 
Tuscarora  made  an  application  through  their  brothers  the 
Oneida,  to  be  admitted  into  the  Iroquois  and  become  the  sixth 
nation,  on  the  grounds  of  a  common  generic  origin,  which  was 
granted  them  unanimously.  Then  the  Seneca  adopted  the 
Tuscarora  as  their  children.  Ever  since  that  time  to  the  present, 
if  a  Seneca  addresses  the  Tuscaroras,  he  will  invariably  salute 
them  as  "  my  sons,"  in  social  or  in  council ;  and  also  the  Tus- 
caroras in  return  will  say  "  my  fathers."  The  relation  has 
always  been  kept  up  to  the  present. 

The  Tuscaroras  were  then  initiated  without  enlarging  the 
frame-work  of  the  confederacy  and  formation  of  the  League, 
by  allowing  them  their  own  Sachems  and  Chiefs,  which  they 
had  as  hereditary  from  their  nation  in  the  south,  except  on 
which  they  gave,  as  the  Holder  of  the  Tree,  to  sit  and  enjoy 
a  nominal  equality  in  the  councils  of  the  League,  by  the  cour- 
tesy of  the  other  five  nations.  They  were  not  dependent,  but 
were  admitted  to  as  full  an  equality  as  could  be  granted  them 
without  enlarging  the  frame-work  of  the  confederacy.  In  the 
councils  of  the  League  they  had  no  national  designation. 
They  were  then  assigned  a  portion  of  the  Oneidas'  territory, 
which  is  lying  upon  the  Unadilla  river  on  the  east,  the  Chen- 
ango  on  the  west,  and  the  Susquehanna  on  the  south,  where 
they  dwelled  and  enjoyed  their  peace  again  for  about  seventy 
years.  In  1736  they  numbered  200  warriors  of  fighting  men. 

We  again  hear  of  the  Tuscarora  by  history,  concerning  a 
massacre  of  the  German  Flats,  N.  Y.,  in  November,  1757. 

A  narrative  communicated  to  the  author  of  the  Docu- 
mentary History  of  New  York,  vol.  2,  page  520,  viz:  "A  few 
days  after  this  massacre  and  desolation  had  been  perpetrated, 


70  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

Sir  William  Johnson  dispatched  Geo.  Croghan,  Esq.,  Deputy 
Agent,  with  Mr.  Montour,  the  Indian  interpreter,  to  the  Ger- 
man Flats,  where  he  understood  several  of  the  Oneida  and 
Tuscarora  Indians  were  assembled,  in  order  to  call  upon  them 
to  explain  why  they  had  not  given  more  timely  notice  to  the 
Germans  of  the  designs  and  approach  of  the  enemy,  it  having 
been  reported  that  no  intelligence  had  been  given  by  the  In- 
dians until  the  same  morning  the  attack -was  made,  and  as 
these  Indians  might  naturally  be  supposed,  from  their  situation 
and  other  circumstances,  to  have  had  an  earlier  knowledge  of 
the  enemy's  design  and  march. 

Before  Mr.  Croghan  could  get  up  to  the  German  Flats  the 
aforesaid  Indians  were  on  their  road  homewards,  but  he  was 
informed  that  the  Chief  Sachem  of  the  Upper  Oneida  town, 
with  a  Tuscarora  Sachem  (which  is  supposed  to  be  Solomon 
Longboard)  and  another  Oneida  Indian,  were  still  about  four 
miles  from  Fort  Harkeman,  upon  which  he  sent  a  messenger 
to  acquaint  them  that  he  was  at  the  said  fort. 

The  aforesaid  Indians  returned,  and  on  the  3Oth  of  Novem- 
ber, at  Fort  Harkeman,  Conaghquieson,  the  Oneida  Sachem, 
made  the  following  speech  to  Mr.  Croghan,  having  first  called 
in  one  Rudolph  Shumaker,  Hanjost  Harkman  and  several  other 
Germans  who  understood  the  Indian  language,  and  desired 
them  to  sit  down  and  hear  what  he  had  to  say.  Conaghquieson 
then  proceeded  and  said : 

"  Brothers  : — I  can't  help  telling  you  that  we  were  very  much 
surprised  to  hear  that  our  English  brethren  suspect  and  charge 
us  with  not  giving  them  timely  notice  of  the  designs  of  the 
French,  as  it  is  well  known  we  have  not  neglected  to  give  them 
every  piece  of  intelligence  that  came  to  our  knowledge. 

"  Brothers,  about  fifteen  days  before  the  affair  happened  we 
sent  the  Germans  word  that  some  Swegatchi  Indians  told  us 
that  the  French  were  determined  to  destroy  the  German  Flats, 
desired  them  to  be  on  their  guard.  About  six  days  after 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  71 

that  we  had  a  further  account  from  the  Swegatchi  Indians  that 
the  French  were  preparing  to  march. 

"  1  then  came  to  the  German  Flats,  and  in  a  meeting  with 
the  Germans  told  them  what  we  had  heard,  and  desired  to  col- 
lect themselves  together  in  a  body  at  their  fort,  *  and  secure 
their  women,  children  and  effects,  and  to  make  the  best  defence 
they  could.  At  the  same  time  I  told  them  to  write  what  I  had 
said  to  our  brother, Warraghryagey  (meaning  Sir  William  John- 
son t),  but  they  paid  not  the  least  regard  to  what  I  told  them, 
and  laughed  at  me,  slapping  their  hands  on  their  buttocks,  say- 
ing they  did  not  value  the  enemy,  upon  which  I  returned  home 
and  sent  one  of  our  people  to  the  lake  (meaning  Oneida  Lake) 
to  find  out  whether  the  enemy  were  coming  or  not.  After  he 
had  staid  there  two  days  the  enemy  arrived  at  the  carrying- 
place,  and  sent  word  to  the  castle  at  the  lake  that  they  were 
there,  and  told  them  what  they  were  going  to  do,  but  charged 
them  not  to  let  us  at  the  upper  castle  know  anything  of  their 
design.  As  soon  as  the  man  I  sent  there  heard  this  he  came 
on  to  us  with  the  account  that  night;  and  as  soon  as  we  received 
it  we  sent  a  belt  of  wampum,  to  confirm  the  truth  thereof,  to 
the  Flats,  which  came  here  the  day  before  the  enemy  made 
their  attack ;  but  the  people  would  not  give  credit  to  the 
account  even  then,  or  they  might  have  saved  their  lives. J 
This  is  the  truth,  and  those  Germans  here  present  know  it  to 
be  so.  The  aforesaid  Germans  did  acknowledge  it  to  be  so, 
and  that  the}'  had  such  intelligence. 

"  GEORGE  CROGHAN." 

The  Oneida  being  the  original  owner  of  the  tract  of  land 
assigned  to  the  Tuscarora  as  aforesaid,  were  made  party  with 


*  A  stockaded  work  round  the  church,  and  a  block-house,  with  a  ditch,  and  a 
parapet  thrown  up  by  Sir  William  Johnson,  a  year  ago,  upon  an  alarm  then  given. 

f  They  never  sent  this  intelligence  to  Sir  William  Johnson. 

J  The  Indians  who  brought  the  belt  of  wampum,  rinding  the  Germans  still  in- 
credulous, the  next  morning,  just  before  the  attack  began,  laid  hold  on  the  German 
Minister,  and  in  a  manner  forced  him  over  to  the  other  side  of  the  river,  by  which 
means  he  and  some  who  followed  him  escaped  the  fate  of  their  brethren. 


72  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

the  Tuscarora  to  the  treaty  made  at  Fort  Herkimer  in  the 
year  1785,  by  which  it  was  ceded  to  the  State,  and  the  Oneida 
took  all  the  avails  of  the  treaty.  The  Tuscaroras  were  then 
again  left  without  a  home  and  were  partially  scattered  among 
the  other  nations,  although  they  continued  to  preserve  their 
nationality.  They  had  some  settlements,  at  a  later  period,  in 
Oneida  Castle,  called  by  them  Gaunea-wahro-hare  (signifying 
head  on  the  pole),  and  one  in  the  valley  of  the  Genesee  below 
Avon,  called  by  them  Ju-na-stre-yo  (signifying  the  beautiful 
valley) ;  another  settlement  at  Con-na-so-ra-ga,  on  the  line 
between  Onondaga  and  Oneida;  another  in  the  fork  of  Chat- 
tenango  Creek,  which  they  called  Ju-ta-nea-ga  (signifying  where 
the  sun  shines);  and  another  on  the  Jordan  Creek,  which  they 
called  Kan-ha-to  (signifying  limb  in  water).  These  several 
places  were  settled  at  different  periods,  which  I  am  not  able  to 
give. 

In  the  revolutionary  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  the  Tuscaroras  then  had  their  settlement 
at  the  place  alotted  them  by  the  league  in  1715,  between 
the  Unadilla  river  and  the  Chenango.  They  took  an  active 
part  with  the  United  States.  Many  a  soldier  and  scout  of  the 
United  States,  in  their  fatigue  and  hunger,  found  a  rest  and  a 
morsel  in  the  rude  homes  of  the  Tuscaroras,  which  were  ever 
hospitably  open  to  them. 

When  the  other  Indians  which  took  part  with  the  British 
knew  that  the  Tuscaroras  took  part  with  the  United  States, 
they  invaded  their  settlement,  destroyed  their  property  and 
burned  down  their  houses  to  ashes,  which  scattered  them  for  a 
while.  There  was  a  party  that  settled  at  Oyouwayea,  or  John- 
son's landing  place,  on  lake  Ontario,  about  four  miles  east  of 
the  mouth  of  Niagara  River,  which  is  at  the  mouth  of  the  four- 
mile  creek,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  out  of  the  centre  of  the 
other  Indians  which  were  for  the  British. 

About  the  close  of  the  war  there  were  two  families  of  the 
Tuscaroras  hunting  and  fishing  along  the  shores  of  lake  Ontario, 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  73 

and  then  up  the  east  shore  of  Niagara  River  as  far  as  Lewiston, 
and  there  left  their  canoe ;  then  traveled  east  and  up  the  moun- 
tain as  far  as  a  place  which  they  now  call  the  Old  Saw  Mill 
(now  on  the  Tuscarora  Reservation),  abbve  the  Ayers*  farm, 
where  they  saw  great  quantities  of  butternuts  and  walnnts  and 
and  a  nice  stream  of  water  flowing  down  the  mountain  ;  there 
they  took  their  rest,  and  after  remaining  several  days  they  con- 
cluded to  make  their  winter  quarters  at  that  place,  which  they 
did.  After  they  were  missing  for  a  time  from  the  settlement 
at  Johnson's  landing,  they  were  hunted  by  their  people  and 
finally  found  at  this  place.  A  few  years  after  this  the  Oneidas 
and  Tuscaroras  ceded  the  tract  of  land  that  was  apportioned 
to  the  Tuscaroras ;  then  families  after  families  came  and  locat- 
ed with  those  two  families  mentioned  above.  This  is  the  be- 
ginning of  the  settlement  of  the  present  Tuscarora  Reservation. 

The  Tuscaroras,  ever  since  the  revolutionary  war,  have  had 
their  residence  within  the  territory  of  the  Seneca  nation,  they 
being  considered  the  father  of  the  Tuscarora  by  being  adopted 
as  such,  at  the  time  of  their  initiation  into  the  confederacy,  in 
the  year  1715. 

I  will  here  give  the  boundary  of  the  Seneca  Nation  domain, 
according  to  the  treaty  entitled  "A  Treaty  between  the  United 
States  of  America  and  .the  Tribes  of  Indians  called  the  Six 
Nations  "  : 

"  The  President  of  the  United  States  having  determined  to 
hold  a  conference  with  the  Six  Nations  of  Indians,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  removing  from  their  minds  all  causes  of  complaint,  and 
establishing  a  firm  and  permanent  friendship  with  them,  and 
fimothy  Pickering  being  appointed  sole  agent  for  that  purpose, 
and  the  agent  having  met  and  conferred  with  the  sachems, 
chiefs  and  warriors,  of  the  Six  Nations,  in  a  general  council, 
now,  in  order  to  accomplish  the  good  design  of  the  conference, 
the  parties  have  agreed  on  the  following  articles,  when  ratified 
by  the  President,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate  of 
(9) 


74  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

the  United  States,  shall  be  binding  on  them  and  the  Six  Na- 
tions. 

"Article  I.  Peace  and  friendship  are  hereby  firmly  establish- 
ed, and  shall  -be  perpetual  between  the  United  States  and  the 
Six  Nations. 

"Article  2.  The  United  States  acknowledge  the  lands  re- 
served to  the  Oneida,  Onondaga,  and  Cayuga  Nations,  in  their 
respective  treaties  with  the  State  of  New  York,  and  called  their 
reservations,  to  be  their  property ;  and  the  United  States  will 
never  claim  the  same,  nor  disturb  them  or  either  of  the  Six  Na- 
tions, nor  their  Indian  friends  residing  thereon  and  united  with 
them,  in  the  free  use  and  enjoyment  thereof ;  but  the  said  res- 
ervations shall  remain  theirs  until  they  choose  to  sell  the  same 
to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  who  have  the  right  to 
purchase. 

"Article  3.  The  land  of  the  Seneca  Nation  is  bounded  as  fol- 
lows :  Beginning  on  Lake  Ontario  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  land  they  sold  to  Oliver  Phelps,  the  line  runs  westerly 
along  the  lake  as  Far  as  O-yong-wong-yeh  creek,  at  Johnson's 
landing  place,  about  four  miles  eastward  from  the  fort  of  Niag- 
ara ;  then  southerly  up  that  creek  to  its  main  fork  ;  then  straight 
to  the  main  fork  of  Stedman's  creek,  which  empties  into  the 
Niagara  river  above  fort  Schlosser ;  and  then  onward  from  that 
fort,  continuing  the  same  straight  course,  to  the  river  (this  line 
from  the  mouth  of  O-yong-wong-yeh  creek  to  the  river  Niagara 
above  Fort  Schlosser,  being  the  eastern  boundary  of  a  strip  of 
land  extending  from  the  same  line  to  Niagara  river,  which  the 
Seneca  Nation  ceded  to  the  king  of  Great  Britain  at  a  treaty 
held  about  thirty  years  ago,  with  Sir  William  Johnson);  then 
the  line  runs  along  the  river  Niagara  to  Lake  Erie  ;  then  along 
Lake  Erie  to  the  eastern  corner  of  a  triangle  piece  of  land 
which  the  United  States  ceded  to  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  as 
by  the  President's  patent,  dated  the  third  day  of  March,  1792 ; 
then  due  south  to  the  boundary  of  that  state  ;  then  due  east  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  land  sold  by  the  Seneca  Nation  to 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATION-.  75 

Oliver  Phelps  ;  and  then  northerly  along  Phelps'  line  to  the 
place  of  beginning,  on  Lake  Ontario.  Now,  the  United  States 
acknowledge  all  the  land  within  the  aforementioned  boundary 
to  be  the  property  of  the  Seneca  Nation  ;  and  the  United  States 
will  never  claim  the  same,  nor  disturb  the  Seneca  Nation,  nor 
their  Indian  friends  residing  thereon  and  united  with  them, 
in  the  free  use  and  enjoyment  thereof ;  but  it  shall  remain  theirs 
until  they  choose  to  sell  the  same  to  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  who  have  the  right  to  purchase. 

"Article  4.  The  United  States  having  thus  described  and  ac- 
knowledged what  lands  belong  to  the  Oneidas,  Onondagas, 
Cayugas  and  Senecas,  and  engaged  never  to  claim  the  same, 
nor  disturb  them  or  any  of  the  Six  Nations,  nor  their  Indian 
friends  residing  thereon  and  united  with  them,  in  the  free  use 
and  enjoyment  thereof,  etc.  Proclaimed  January  21,1785." 

You  will  observe  in  the  treaty  above  that  the  name  of  the 
Tuscarora  Nation  is  not  mentioned  at  all,  and  yet  speaks  of 
the  Six  Nations,  which  includes  the  Tuscarora  Nation.  The 
reason  is  this  :  In  Article  2  you  will  observe  that  all  the  na- 
tions that  have  their  lands  on  the  east  side  of  what  is  known 
as  the  Phelps  line  were  named,  and  west  of  that  line  was  the 
land  of  the  Seneca  Nation  on  which  the  Tuscaroras  resided, 
and  were  considered  as  being  merged  into  the  Seneca  Na- 
tion, and  have  the  benefit  of  the  laws  enacted  for  them. 

There  was  also  a  contract  entered  into  between  the  Seneca 
Nation  of  Indians  of  the  first  part,  and  Robert  Morris,  Esq.,  of 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  of  the  second  part.  At  a  treaty  held 
under  the  authority  of  the  United  States,  at  Genesee,  in  the 
county  of  Ontario,  State  of  New  York,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of 
September,  1797,  and  on  sundry  days  immediately  prior  there- 
to, by  the  Honorable  Jeremiah  Wadsworth,  Esq.,  a  commis- 
sioner appointed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  hold 
the  same,  when  the  Senecas  ceded  the  country  that  included 
the  now  Tuscarora  Reservation.  The  Tuscaroras  then  and 
there  made  their  complaint  by  their  chiefs,  for  the  first  since 


76  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND  LAWS 

they  were  initiated  into  the  confederacy  of  the  Iroquois  ;  in  the 
presence  of  the  commissioner  and  the  others  that  are  parties  to 
the  treaty ;  that  the  Troquois  had  from  time  to  time  allotted 
them  lands  and  had  been  ceded  each  time  by  the  Iroquois, 
without  giving  them  a  farthing  to  remunerate  them  for  their 
portion  of  the  lands  so  ceded,  or  for  the  improvements  that 
they  had  made,  and  asked  if  they  were  to  be  driven  in  this 
manner  from  place  to  place  all  the  days  of  their  existence,  and 
if  that  is  the  way  a  father  should  use  their  children,  or  brothers 
should  use  their  brothers,  and  to  keep  them  living  in  disap- 
pointment ;  they  also  alluded  to  a  treaty  concluded  at  Fort 
Stanwix  three  years  before  this,  where  the  commissioners  of 
the  United  States  reserved  to  them  land,  which  read  as  fol- 
lows : 

"Article  2.  The  Oneida  and  Tuscarora  Nations  shall  be  se- 
cured in  the  possession  of  the  lands  on  which  they  are  settled." 

The  commissioner  then  inquired  into  the  merits  of  the  com- 
plaint of   the  Tuscaroras,  which    the  Iroquois    affirmed  ;    the 
commissioner  then  said  to   them,  that  it  is  not  right  to  make  a , 
contract,  or  to  grant  anything  without  faith  ;  it  is  only  honor- 
able when  you  adhere  to  your  stipulation. 

When  Robert  Morris  knew  that  the  Tuscaroras  were  desti- 
tute of  land,  he  reserved  and  donated  to  them  two  square  miles 
being  1280  acres  ;  the  Senecasalso  granted  to  them  one  square 
mile  being  640  acres,  which  grant  was  made  at  the  convention 
dated  above.  On  the  I3th  day  of  March,  1808,  the  sachems, 
chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  Seneca  Nation  of  Indians  executed 
a  written  indenture  of  the  grant  or  deed  to  the  Tuscarora  Na- 
tion, of  the  one  square  mile  of  land  above  mentioned,  and  was 
duly  signed  by  the  sachems,  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  afore- 
said Indians.  On  the  22d  day  of  September,  1810,  it  was  en- 
tered and  put  on  file  in  the  Niagara  County  Clerk's  office,  on 
page  56  ;  and  was  again  put  on  file  in  the  Niagara  County 
Clerk's  Office,  Lockport,  in  book  of  deeds  151,  page  168,  March 
13,  1879. 


OF  THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  77 

About  the  year  1800,  Solomon  Longbardand  his  brother  held 
private  council  between  themselves,  consulting  how  they  might 
obtain  more  land  to  make  a  permanent  home  for  the  Tuscaroras 
and  their  generation  after  them, -they  concluded  to  repair  to 
North  Carolina  and  see  if  they  could  procure  any  means  from 
that  source,  whereby  they  might  obtain  more  land.  In  pursu- 
ance, the  Tuscarora  Chiefs  in  council  appointed  as  delegates 
Solomon  Longboard  and  Sacarrissa,  being  sachems  of  the  na- 
tion in  the  year  1801,  and  in  1802  they  effected  a  lease  by  the 
aid  of  the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina,  from  which  accrued 
$13,722;  and  in  the  year  1804,  General  Dearborn,  then  Secre- 
tary of  War,  was  authorized  by  Congress  to  buy  land  for  the 
Tuscaroras  with  the  said  money,  by  which  he  bought  4,329 
acres  of  the  Holland  Land  Company,  which  is  now  on  the 
south  and  east  side  of  the  three  square  miles  mentioned  above, 
which  now  constitutes  the  Tuscarora  Reservation. 

The  Tuscarora  Nation  was  once  more  at  peace  and  in  pos- 
session of  lands  which  they  could  eall  their  own. 


78  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 


Tuscaroras  at  North  Carolina. 


f 

oke 


In  tracing  the  history  of  the  Tuscaroras  that  migrated  to 
the  north  and  joined  themselves  with  the  Iroquois,  we  would 
not  forget  those  few  who  remained  with  King  James  Blunt,  a 
Tuscarora  Chief,  in  North  Carolina,  who  had  a  tract  of  land 
allotted  to  them  on  Pamplico  river.  The  smallness  of  their 
number  disabling  them  from  resisting  the  attacks  of  the  south- 
ern Indians,  Governor  Charles  Eden,  of  North  Carolina,  and 
the  council,  on  the  5th  day  of  June,  1718,  entered  into  a  treaty, 
by  which  the  land  on  Pamplico  river  was  abandoned  by 
Tuscaroras  and  another  tract  granted  to  them,  on  Roanol 
river,  in  the  present  county  of  Birtie,  in  consideration  of  which 
they  relinquished  all  claims  of  any  other  land  in  the  province, 
butted  and  bounded  as  follows,  viz.:  Beginning  at  the  mouth 
of  Quitsnoy  swamp,  running  up  the  said  swamp  four  hundred 
and  35  poles,  to  a  scrubby  oak  near  the  head  of  the  swamp, 
by  a  great  spring ;  then  north  ten  degrees  east,  eight  hundred 
and  fifty  poles,  to  a  persimmon  tree  on  Raquis  swamp;  then 
along  the  swamp  and  Pacosin  main  course  north  fifty-seven 
degrees  west,  two  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty  poles,  to  a 
hickory  tree  on  the  east  side  of  the  Falling  Run,  or  Deep 
cre<ek,  and  down  the  various  courses  of  the  said  run  to  Morat- 
tock ;  then  down  the  river  to  the  first  station. 

In  the  administration  of  the  Governor,  Gabriel  Johnson, 
Esq.,  at  a  General  Assembly  held  at  New  Bern  on  the  I5th 
day  of  October,  1748,  by  virtue  of  an  act,  this  same  limit  of 


OF  THE   IROQU-OIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  79 

land  above  was  confirmed  and  assured  to  James  Blunt,  Chief 
of  the  Tuscarora  Nation,  and  the  people  under  his  charge, 
their  heirs,  and  successors  forever,  any  law,  usage,  custom  or 
grant  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

At  the  time  the  Tuscaroras  migrated  to  the  north,  King 
James  Blunt  was  the  Sachem  of  those  that  remained,  and  his 
successor  in  office,  as  we  see  in  an  act  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  North  Carolina,  in  the  year  1778,  was  Whitmell  Tuff- 
dick.  The  last  Sachem,  or  Chief,  of  that  part  of  the  Tusca- 
roras— Samuel  Smith — expired  in  the  year  1802,  at  which  time 
Sacarrissa  and  Solomon  Longboard,  both  being  Sachems  of  the 
northern  Tuscaroras,  migrated  the  residue  of  the  Tuscaroras 
from  North  Carolina  to  their  Reservation  in  Niagara  county, 
State  of  New  York,  where  they  were  again  blended  together 
in  one  nation. 

Concerning  the  land  allotted  to  the  Tuscaroras  in  Birtie 
—they  have  leased  it  several  times ;  and  I  have  selected  a  few 
of  the  laws  of  North  Carolina  that  are  now  in  force,  concerning 
the  Tuscaroras  in  that  state,  namely : 

"A.  D.  1748,  Vol.  I,  Chapter  43,  page  174  ;  by  Potter,  Taylor 
and  Yancy,  Esqs.   Anno  Regni  Georgvi  1 1,  Vicessinio  second. 

"  Gabriel  Johnson,  Esq.,  Governor. 

"At  a  general  assembly  held  at  New  Bern,  the  fifteenth  day 
of  October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight. 

CHAPTER  43. 

'•An  Act  for  ascertaining  the  bounds  of  a  certain  tract  of 
land  formerly  laid  out  by  treaty  to  the  use  of  the  Tuscarora 
Indians,  so  long  as  they,  or  any  of  them,  shall  occupy  and  live 
upon  the  same,  and  to  prevent  any  person  or  persons  taking 
up  lands,  or  settling  within  the  said  bounds,  by  pretense  of 
any  purchase  or  purchases  made,  or  that  shall  be  made,  from 
the  said  Indians, 


80  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

"  I.  Whereas,  complaints  are  made  by  the  Tuscarora  Indi- 
ans, of  divers  encroachments  made  by  the   English  on  their 
lands,  and  it  being  but  just  that  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  this 
.Province  shall  have  and  enjoy  a  quiet  and  convenient  dwelling 
place  in  this  their  native  country,  wherefore, 

"  Bounds  of 'the  Indians'  lands  confirmed, — 2.  We  pray  that  it 
may  be  enacted,  and  be  it  enacted  by  His  Excellency  Gabriel 
Johnson,  Esquire,  Governor,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  con- 
sent of  his  majesty's  council,  and  general  assembly  of  this 
province,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same 
that  the  lands  formerly  allotted  the  Tuscarora  Indians  by  sol- 
emn treaty,  lying  on  Morattock  river,  in  Birtie  county,  being 
the  same  whereon  they  now  dwell.  Butted  and  bounded  as 
follows,  viz  :  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Quitsnoy  Swamp, 
running  up  the  said  swamp  four  hundred  and  thirty-five  poles, 
to  a  scrubby  oak,  near  the  head  of  the  swamp,  by  a  great 
spring ;  thence  north  ten  degrees  east,  eight  hundred  and  fifty 
poles,  to  a  persimmon  tree,  on  Raquis  swamp  ;  thence  along 
the  swamp,  and  Pacosin  main  course,  north  fifty-seven  degrees 
west,  two  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty  poles,  to  a  hickory 
on  the  east  side  of  the  falling  run  or  deep  creek,  and  down  the 
various  courses  of  the  said  run  to  Morattock  river,  then  down 
the  river  to  the  first  station  ;  shall  be  confirmed  and  assured  ; 
and  by  virtue  of  this  act,  is  confirmed  and  assured,  to  James 
Blunt,  chief  of  the  Tuscarora  Nation,  and  the  people  under  his 
charge,  their  heirs  and  successors,  forever,  any  law,  usage, 
custom,  or  grant,  to  the  contrary,  notwithstanding. 

"  Persons  having  grants  to  enter  on  desertion  of  the  Indians.— 
3.  Provided,  always,  That  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  any 
person  or  persons  that  have  formerly  obtained  any  grant  or 
grants,  under  the  Lord's  proprietors,  for  any  tract  or  parcels 
of  lands  within  the  aforesaid  boundaries,  upon  the  said  Indians 
deserting  or  leaving  the  said  lands,  to  enter,  occupy  and  enjoy 
the  same  according  to  the  tenor  of  their  several  grants. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  8 1 

"  Indians  not  to  pay  quitrents. — 4.  And  be  it  further  enacted 
by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  it  shall  not  nor  may  be  law- 
ful for  the  Lord  Granville's  receiver  to  ask,  have  or  demand 
any  quitrents  for  any  of  the  said  tracts  or  parcels  of  land 
taken  up  within  the  said  Indian  boundaries,  as  aforesaid,  until 
such  time  when  the  Indians  have  deserted  the  same  and  the 
patentee  be  in  possession  thereof,  and  only  for  such  rents  as 
shall  from  thence  arise  and  become  due,  any  law,  usage  or 
custom  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

"  Pmalty  on  persons  purchasing  lands  of  the  Indians. — 5.  And 
be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  no  per- 
son, for  any  consideration  whatsoever,  shall  purchase  or  buy 
any  tract  or  parcel  of  land  claimed  or  in  possession  of  any 
Indian  or  Indians,  but  all  such  bargains  and  sales  shall  be,  and 
are  hereby  declared  to  be  null  and  void,  and  of  no  effect;  and 
the  person  so  purchasing  or  buying  any  land  of  any  Indian  or 
Indians  shall  further  forfeit  the  sum  of  ten  pounds,  proclama- 
tion money,  for  every  hundred  acres  by  him  purchased  and 
bought,  one-half  to  the  use  of  the  public,  the  other  half  to 
him  or  them  that  shall  sue  for  the  same,  to  be  recovered  by 
action  of  debt,  bill,  plaint  or  information,  in  any  court  of 
record  within  this  Government,  wherein  no  possession,  pro- 
tection, injunction  or  wager  of  law  shall  be  allowed  or  ad- 
mitted of. 

"  Persons  settled  on  the  Indian  lands  to  remove,  and  no  others 
to  settle  there  under  a  penalty. — 6.  And  be  it  further  enacted 
by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  all  and  every  person  and  per- 
sons, other  than  the  said  Indians  who  are  now  dwelling  on  any 
of  the  lands  within  the  bounds  above  mentioned  to  have  been 
allotted,  laid  out  and  prescribed  to  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians, 
shall,  on  or  before  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  March  next  ensuing 
the  ratification  of  this  act,  remove  him  or  herself  and  family 
off  the  said  lands,  under  the  penalty  of  twenty  pounds,  procla- 
mation money;  and  if  any  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  move  him 
(10) 


82  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

or  herself  and  family  off  the  said  lands,  on  or  before  the  said 
twenty-fifth  day  of  March  next,  and  if  any  person  or  persons, 
other  than  the  said  Indians,  shall  hereafter  presume  to  settle, 
inhabit  or  occupy  any  of  the  said  lands  hereby  allotted  and 
assigned  for  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians,  such  person  or  persons 
shall  forfeit  the  further  penalty  of  twenty  shillings,  proclama- 
tion money,  for  each  and  every  day  he,  she  or  they  shall  inhabit 
or  occupy  any  lands  within  the  said  Indian  bounds  after  the 
said  twenty-fifth  day  of  March  next,  the  said  penalties  to  be 
recovered  and  applied  in  the  same  manner  as  the  penalty  in 
this  act  above  mentioned. 

"  Surveyor  s  fee  for  laying  out  the  Indians  lands. — 7.  And 
whereas,  The  said  lands  belonging  to  the  said  Tuscarora  In- 
dians have  been  lately  laid  out  and  newly  marked  by  George 
Goulde,  Esq.,  Surveyor  General,  at  the  request  of  the  said  In- 
dians ;  therefore,  be  it  enacted,  that  the  said  George  Goulde, 
Esq.,  have  and  receive  for  the  trouble  and  expense  he  hath 
been  at  in  laying  out  and  marking  the  Indians'  lands  aforesaid, 
the  sum  of  twenty-five  pounds,  proclamation  money,  to  be 
paid  by  the  public,  out  of  moneys  in  the  public  treasury. 

"  Penalty  of  persons  ranging  stock  on  the  Indians'  lauds. — 8. 
And  whereas,  the  Indians  complain  of  injuries  received  from 
people  driving  stock,  horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  to  range  on 
their  lands,  for  remedy  thereof,  Be  it  enacted,  That  persons 
driving  stock  to  range,  or  stock  actually  ranging  on  the  Indi- 
ans' lands,  shall,  and  are  hereby  declared,  to  be  liable  and  sub- 
ject to  the  like  penalties  and  forfeitures,  and  may  be  proceed- 
ed against  in  the  same  manner,  and  subject  to  the  same  recov- 
eries, as  by  the  law  of  this  province  stock  driven  or  ranging 
upon  any  white  people's  land  are  liable  and  subject  to  ;  and 
the  said  Indians  shall  and  may  enjoy  the  benefit  of  the  laws 
in  that  case  made  and  provided,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
white  people  do  or  can,  any  law,  usage,  or  custom,  to  the  con- 
trary notwithstanding. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  83 

LAWS    OF    NORTH    CAROLINA,  A.  D.  1878,    CHAPTER    136,    PAGE 
359,  VOL.  I,  BY  POTTER,  TAYLOR   &   YANCEY. 

"An  Act  for  quieting  and  securing  the  Tuscarora  Indians,  and 
others  claiming  under  the  Tuscaroras,  in  the  possession  of 
their  lands. 

"  Indian  lands  secured  to  tJie  Indians. —  I.  Be  it  enacted,  &c., 
That  Whitmell  Tuffdeck,  Chief  or  head  man  of  the  Tuscarora 
nation,  and  the  Tuscarora  Indians  now  living  in  the  county  of 
Birtie,  shall  have,  hold,  occupy,  possess  and  enjoy,  all  the 
lands  lying  in  the  county  of  Birtie  aforesaid,  whereof  they  are 
now  seized  and  possessed,  (being  part  of  the  lands  heretofore 
alotted  to  the  Indians  aforesaid  by  solemn  treaty,  and  con- 
firmed to  them  and  their  successors  by  act  of  assembly,  in  the 
year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-eight,)  without  let, 
molestation  or  hindrance,  clear  of  all  quit-rents,  or  any  public 
demands  by  way  of  tax  whatever,  to  them  the  said  Tuscarora 
Indians,  and  their  heirs  and  successors  ;  and  that  they,  the  said 
Tuscaroras,  and  their  heirs  and  successors,  shall  forever  be 
clear  and  exempt  from  every  kind  of  poll-tax. 

"  No  purchases  to  be  made  of  the  Indians,  nor  their  lands  culti- 
vated.— 2.  And  whereas,  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians,  by  nature 
ignorant,  and  strongly  addicted  to  drinking,  may  be 'easily  im- 
posed on  by  designing  persons,  and  unwarily  deprived  of  their 
said  lands  ;  Be  it  enacted,  That  no  person,  for  any  considera- 
tion whatever,  shall  hereafter  purchase,  buy  or  lease,  any  tract 
or  parcel  of  land  now  claimed  by,  or  in  possession  of  the  said 
Tuscarora  Indians,  or  any  of  theirs ;  nor  shall  any  person  set- 
tle on  or  cultivate  the  said  lands,  or  any  part  thereof,  in  his 
own  right,  or.  under  pretence,  as  acting  as  overseer  for  the  In- 
dians ;  and  if  any  person  shall  hereafter  purchase,  buy  or  lease 
lands  of  the  said  Indians,  or  settle  on  or  cultivate  any  part 
thereof  in  his  own  right  or  as  overseer  for  the  Indians,  all  such 
purchases,  sales,  leases  or  agreements  shall  be  and  they  are 
hereby  declared  null  and  void ;  and  the  person  so  purchasing 


84  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

buying  or  leasing,  settling  on  or  cultivating  such  lands,  or  any 
part  thereof,  shall  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  three  hundred 
pounds  current  money  for  every  hundred  acres  by  him  so  pur- 
chased, bought  or  leased,  settled  on  or  cultivated  as  aforesaid, 
one-half  to  the  use  of  the  Tuscarora  Indians,  the  other  to  the 
use  of  him  or  her  who  shall  sue  for  the  same  ;  to  be  recovered 
by  action  of  debt,  bill,  plaint  or  information  in  any  court  having 
cognizance  thereof.  Provided  that  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians 
may  sell  or  dispose  of  their  lands  or  any  part  thereof,  with  the 
consent  of  the  general  assembly  first  had  and  obtained. 

"  Former  purchases  from  the  Indians,  under  the  sanction  of  the 
Assembly,  secured. — 3.  And  whereas,  the  chieftains  and  head 
men  of  the  Tuscarora  Indians,  living  in  the  county,  did,  on  the 
twelfth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  sixty-six,  for  the  consideration  of  fifteen  hundred  pounds 
to  them  paid  by  Robert  Jones,  Jun.,  William  Williams  and 
Thomas  Pugh,  by  indenture  under  their  hands  and  seals,  de- 
mise, grant  and  to  farm  let,  unto  the  said  Robert  Jones,  Wil- 
liam Williams  and  Thomas  Pugh,  a  certain  tract  of  land  lying 
in  the  county  aforesaid,  containing  about  eight  thousand  acres, 
more  or  less,  bounded  as  follows,  to-wit :  Beginning  at  the 
mouth  of  Deep  creek,  otherwise  called  Falling  Run  ;  thence 
running  up  the  said  creek  to  the  Indian  head  line;  thence  by 
the  said  line  south  seventeen  degrees  east,  twelve  hundred  and 
eighty  poles ;  thence  on  a  course  parallel  with  the  general 
current  of  the  said  creek  to  the  Roanoke  river ;  and  then  up 
the  river  to  the  beginning,  together  with  the  appurtenances 
thereto  belonging,  to  be  held  and  enjoyed  by  the  said  Robert 
Jones,  William  Williams  and  Thomas  Pugh,  their  executors, 
administrators  and  assigns,  in  severalty,  for  and  during  the 
term  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  as  may  more  fully  appear 
by  the  said  indenture,  registered  in  the  county  of  Birtie  afore- 
said and  ratified  by  act -of  Assembly,  passed  at  Newbern,  in 
the  year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  und'sixty-six :  Be  it  en- 
acted, That  each  and  every  of  the  persons  entitled  to  claims 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  85 

under  the  demise  aforementioned,  or  by  grants  from  the  per- 
sons claiming  under  the  same,  or  either  of  them,  and  their 
heirs  and  assigns,  shall  and  may  have,  hold,  occupy,  possess 
and  enjoy  the  several  shares,  dividends  or  parcels  of  the  said 
land  to  them  belonging,  in  as  full,  free  and  absolute  manner, 
and  with  the  same  legal  privileges  and  advantages  in  every 
respect,  and  subject  to  the  same  taxes  as  if  the  said  land  had 
been  originally  granted  to  the  said  Robert  Jones,  William 
Williams  and  Thomas  Pugh  by  Lord  Granville  or  by  this 
State. 

"  Regulations  in  regard  to  former  demises.—^.  And  whereas, 
the  said  Tuscarora  Indians,  for  good  and  sufficient  reasons,  and 
for  valuable  consideration,  have,  since  the  twelfth  day  of  July, 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-six,  and  previous  to  the 
first  day  of  December  last,  demised,  granted  and  to  farm  let 
sundry  tracts  or  parcels  of  land  lying  in  said  county  of  Birtie 
to  sundry  persons,  as  by  indentures  duly  executed  may  more 
fully  appear:  Be  it  enacted,  That  all  the  land  contained  in 
the  last  mentioned  demises,  if  the  said  demises  were  fairly, 
bona  fide  and  without  fraud,  made  by  and  obtained  from  the 
said  Tuscarora  Indians  since  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  sixty-six,  and  previous  to  the  first  day  of  December 
last  past,  shall  not  be  deemed  vacant  lands,  or  be  liable  to  be 
entered  as  such  in  the  Land  Offitfe,  unless  the  General  Assem- 
bly shall  hereafter  so  direct,  but  nevertheless  shall  be  subject 
to  the  same  taxes  as  other  lands  in  this  State  are  liable  to. 

"  Method  of  trial  for  demises  alleged  to  have  been  unfairly 
obtained. — 5.  And  whereas,  it  is  suggested  by  the  Tuscarora 
Indians,  that  unfair  dealings  have  been  used  in  obtaining  one 
or  more  of  the  demises  aforementioned,  and  that  they,  the 
said  Indians  have  at  present  no  mode  of  obtaining  redress  in 
such  cases.  Be  it  therefore  enacted,  that  the  commissioners 
herein  mentioned  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  and  may,  upon 
complaint  of  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians,  in  court  or  meeting 
assembled,  that  a  person  or  persons  has  or  have  unfairly  or 


86  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

fraudulently  obtained  any  grant  or  demise  for  lands  to  them 
belonging  since  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
sixty-six,  and  previous  to  the  first  day  of  December  last,  sum- 
mon the  per$on  or  persons  so  complained  against,  or  cause  him 
or  them  to  be  summoned  to  appear  before  them  on  a  certain 
day  on  the  land  in  dispute  (giving  at  best  ten  days'  notice  pre- 
vious to  the  day  in  such  summons  appointed),  then  and  there 
to  answer  the  complaint  of  the  Indians  for  having  fraudulently 
or  unfairly  obtained  a  grant  or  demise  of  the  land  in  question; 
and  shall  also  summon,  or  cause  to  be  summoned,  a  jury  of 
twelve  men,  being  freeholders  in  the  county  of  Birtie  and  not 
resident  on  or  owners  of  any  lands  purchased  of  the  said  Tus- 
carora  Indians ;  and  the  said  commissioners,  or  a  majority  of 
them,  shall  attend  at  the  time  and  place  appointed,  with  the 
jury  aforesaid,  and  having  first  sworn  the  jury  to  try  and  deter- 
mine fairly  between  the  said  Indians  and  the  person  or  persons 
complained  against,  shall  and  may  cause  witnesses  to  be  exam- 
ined on  both  sides,  receive  the  verdict  of  the  jury  and  return 
the  same,  with  the  panel,  to  the  next  County  Court  of  the  said 
county  of  Birtie,  to  be  entered  upon  the  record ;  and  such  ver- 
dict shall  be  as  good  and  effectual  as  if  obtained  in  any  court 
of  record  ;  and  if  the  same  be  general  the  said  commissioners, 
or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  and  may  appoint  one  or  more  per- 
sons to  carry  the  same  into  execution  ;  but  if  special,  then  the 
court  shall  decide  thereon,  and  cause  the  Sheriff  of  the  county 
to  carry  such  decision  into  execution. 

"  Commissioners  for  Indian  affairs. — 6.  And  whereas  the  said 
Indians  are  often  injured  by  horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  driven  on 
their  lands  by  white  people,  the  said  horses,  cattle  and  hogs 
breaking  into  the  enclosure  and  disUoying  their  corn  and  other 
effects,  and  are  also  frequently  deprived  of  their  property, 
and  abuses  by  ill  disposed  persons  ;  for  remedy  whereof,  and 
also  for  recovery  of  suits  or  demands  now  due,  or  which  may 
hereafter  become  due  and  owing  to  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians; 
Be  it  enacted,  that  William  Williams,  Thomas  Pugh,  Willie 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX    NATIONS.  8/ 

Jones,  Simon  Turner  and  Zedekiah  Stone,  be,  and  they  are 
hereby  appointed  commissioners  for  the  said  Indians,  and  they, 
or  any  three  of  them,  shall  and  may  inquire  into  the  com- 
plaints made  by  the  said  Indians,  summon  the  persons  com- 
plained against,  before  them,  and  award  such  restitution  and 
redress  as  to  them  shall  seem  just  and  necessary  ;  and  may  ap- 
point an  Officer  or  Officers  to  serve  subpoena  as,  and  to  exe- 
cute such  awards  and  determinations  as  they  shall  or  may  make 
in  regard  of  the  premises ;  and  the  court  of  said  county  of  Bir- 
tie,  is  hereby  authorized  and  required  to  fill  up,  from  time  to 
time,  by  new  appointments  any  vacancies  which  may  happen 
among  the  commissioners  by  death  or  resignations  ;  and  upon 
complaint  of  the  chiefs  or  head  men  of  the  nation,  and  the  rest 
of  the  Indians,  in  court  or  meeting  properly  assembled,  against 
any  of  the  commissioners  for  misbehavior,  may  inquire  into 
the  conduct  of  the  person  or  persons  complained  against,  re- 
move him  or  them  if  necessary,  and  appoint  another  or  others 
in  his  or  their  stead. 

"  Reversion  of  Indian  lands. — 7.  And  be  it  further  enacted, 
that  the  lands  leased  by  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians  to  Robert 
Jones,  Jr.,  William  Williams  and  Thomas  Pugh,  and  to  other 
persons,  shall  revert  and  become  the  property  of  the  State,  at 
the  expiration  of  the  terms  of  the  several  leases  mentioned, 
if  the  said  nation  be  extinct  ;  and  the  lands  now  belonging  to, 
and  possessed  by  the  said  Tuscaroras,  shall  revert  to  and  be- 
come the  property  of  the  State,  whenever  the  said  nation  shall 
become  extinct,  or  shall  entirely  abandon  or  remove  them- 
selves off  the  said  lands,  and  every  part  thereof.  Provided, 
that  no  person  shall  have  any  preference  of  entry  to  any  of 
the  said  lands  by  virtue  of  any  lease  or  occupancy  whatever, 
since  December,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-six, 

whenever  the  general  assembly  shall  declare  the  said  lands  to 
be  vacant. 

Read  three  times  and  ratified  in  general  assembly,  the  2d 
day  of  May,  A.  D.  1778. 

Signed  by  WHITMILL  HlLL,  S.  S. 

THOMAS  BENBURY,  S.  C. 


88  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

LAWS    OF    NORTH    CAROLINA,  A.  D.  1780,    CHAPTER    167,    PAGE 
406,  VOL.  I,  BY  POTTER,  TAYLOR  &  YANCEY. 

"  An  Act  to  amend  an  act,  entitled  an  act  for  quieting  and  se- 
curing the  Tuscarora  Indians,  and  others  claiming  under  the 
Tuscaroras,  in  the  possession  of  their  lands. 

"  i.  Whereas,  By  the  said  act  there  is  no  penalty  imposed  on 
the  jurors  or  witnesses  duly  summoned,  and  failing  to  attend. 

"Attendance  of  Jurors. — 2.  Be  it  enacted,  &c.,  That  the  com- 
missioners by  the  said  act  appointed,  or  any  three  of  them, 
assembled  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  court,  shall,  and  may 
inflict  fines  on  jurors  or  witnesses  so  failing  to  attend,  not  ex- 
ceeding one  hundred  pounds,  at  their  discretion  ;  and  unless 
sufficient  excuse  be  to  them  afterwards  shown,  cause  the  same 
to  be  levied  and  applied  towards  defraying  the  county  expens- 
es of  Birtie  ;  and  witnesses  and  jurors  who  shall  attend  on  the 
trial  of  any  dispute  between  the  said  Tuscaroras  and  others, 
shall  have  and  receive  ten  dollars  per  day  for  their  attendance, 
to  be  paid  by  the  party  cost  with  all  other  cost ;  and  such 
trials  may  hereafter  be  had  on  the  part  of  the  lands  belonging 
to  said  Tuscaroras,  Birtie  County,  which  commissioners  shall 
direct. 

Read  three  times  and  ratified  in  general  assembly,  the  loth 
day  of  May,  A.  D.  1780. 

Signed  by  ALEX.  MARTIN,  S.  S. 

THOMAS  BENBURY,  S.  C. 


LAWS    OF    NORTH    CAROLINA,   A.  D.  l8oi,    CHAPTER  608,    PAGE 
965,  VOL.  2,  BY  POTTER,  TAYLOR  &  YANCEY. 

"  James  Turner,  Esq.,  Governor.' 

"  At  the  general  assembly  begun  and  held  at  Raleigh,  on 
the  fifteenth  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our  lord  one 


OF  THE  IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  89 

thousand  eight  hundred  and  two,  and  in  the  thirty-seventh 
year  of  the  independence  of  said  State. 

"  An  Act  for  the  relief  of  the  Tuscarora  Nation  of  Indians. 

"Whereas,  the  Indians  composing  the  Tuscarora  nation,  have, 
by  their  chief  Sacarrissa,  and  others,  regularly  deputed  and  au- 
thorized, requested  the  concurrence  of  the  general  assembly 
of  this  State,  to  enable  them  to  lease  or  demise,  for  a  number 
of  years,  the  residue  of  their  lands  situated  in  the  county  of 
Birtie,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  whole  of  the  said  leases  shall 
terminate  at  the  same  period. 

"  Chiefs  authorized  to  lease  their  lands* — i.  Be  it  enacted,  &c., 
That  the  said  chiefs  Sacarrissa,  Longboard  and  Samuel  Smith, 
or  a  majority  of  them,  be  and  they  are  hereby  authorized  to 
lease  and  to  farm  let  the  undemised  residue  of  the  lands  allot- 
ted to  the  Tuscarora  Nation  in  Birtie  County,  for  a  term  of 
years  that  shall  expire  and  end  when  the  lease  made  by  the 
Tuscarora  Nation  to  Robert  Jones  and  others,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-six, 
shall  end  and  expire  ;  and  also  extend  the  term  or  terms 
of  the  leases  already  made  or  granted  for  a  shorter  term, 
to  a  term  or  terms  which  shall  expire  at  the  same  time  with 
the  said  lease  made  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  sixty-six,  in  such  parcels  and  on  such  rents  and  conditions 
as  may  be  approved  by  the  commissioners  appointed  in  pur- 
suance of  this  act,  and  which  may  best  promote  the  interest 
and  convenience  of  the  said  Indian  nation. 

"  And,  whereas,  some  difficulties  have  arisen  respecting  the 
receipt  and  payment  on  the  rents  of  some  of  the  present  leases. 

"  To  make  alterations  with  respect  to  rents. — 2.  Be  it  further 
enacted,  That  the  said  chiefs,  or  a  majority  of  them,  be,  and 
they  are  hereby  authorized  to  make  such  alterations,  by  cove- 
nant and  agreement,  respecting  the  payment  and  receipt  of 
any  rents  due,  or  that  may  become  due  on  any  of  the  existing 


90  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

leases,  as  the  commissioners  appointed  in  pursuance  of   this 
act,  or  a  majority  of  them  shall  approve. 

•'  Whereas,  the  said  Indian  chiefs  are  ignorant  of  the  usual 
forms  of  business,  and  may  want  advice  and  assistance  in 
transacting  the  business  respecting  their  lands,  for  remedy 
whereof  and  to  prevent  their  being  injured. 

"  Governor  to  appoint  three  commissioners  to  carry  this  act  into 
effect. — 3.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  Governor  shall  ap- 
point three  commissioners  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  the  pro- 
visions of  this  act  into  effect ;  and  no  lease,  grant,  demise, 
covenant  or  agreement  made  by  the  said  Indian  chiefs  as  afore- 
said, respecting  said  lands,  or  the  rents  thereof,  shall  be  good 
or  valid  in  law,  unless  the  same  shall  be  approved  by  the  said 
commissioners,  or  a  majority  of  them,  and  such  approbation 
shall  be  expressed  in  writing  and  annexed  or  endorsed  on  such 
lease,  covenant  or  agreement,  and  registered  in  the  Register's 
Office  in  the  county  of  Birtie,  together  with  said  lease  or 
agreement ;  and  the  said  commissioners  shall  receive  the  sum 
of  twenty  shillings  per  day  for  their  compensation  and  expens- 
es, to  be  paid  out  of  the  monies  received  by  the  said  chiefs  on 
leasing  said  lands. 

"  Possessions  of  the  tenants  to  be  deemed  the  possessions  of  tlie 
TH  scar  or  a  Indians. — 4,  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the 
occupaucy  and  possession  of  the  tenants  under  the  said  lease, 
heretofore  confirmed  by  act  or  acts  of  the  general  assembly, 
and  such  leases  as  may  be  made  under  this  act,  shall  be 
held  and  deemed  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  the  occupancy  and 
possession  of  the  said  Tuscarora  Nation,  to  all  intents  "end  pur- 
poses, as  if  said  nation,  or  the  Indians  thereof,  or  any  of  them, 
actually  resided  on  said  lands. 

"  Whereas,  The  said  chiefs,  Sacarrissa,  Longboard,  and  Sam- 
uel Smith,  being  duly  and  freely  authorized  and  empowered  by 
the  said  Tuscarora  Nation,  have  consented  that  the  Indians' 
claim  to  the  use,  possession,  and  occupancy  of  said  lands  shall 
cease  and  be  extinguished,  when  the  said  lease  made  in  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  91 

year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  seventy-six,  fro  Robert  Jones 
and  others,  shall  expire. 

"  The  land  to  revert  to  the  state. — 5.  Be  it  enacted,  That  from 
and  after  the  twelfth  day  of  July,  which  shall  be  in  the  year 
One  Thousand  nine  and  sixteen,  the  whole  of  the  lands  alloted 
to  the  said  Tuscarora  Indians,  by  act  of  General  Assembly 
passed  at  Newbern,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  October,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  One  Thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty  eight, 
shall  revert  to,  and  become  the  property  of  the  state,  and  the 
claim  thereto,  from  that  time,  be  held,  and  deemed  forever  ex- 
tinguished. 

"  If  any  of  the  lands  be  vacant  it  is  not  to  be  entered  but  by  an 
express  act. — 6.  And  be  further  enacted,  After  the  said  lands 
shall  revert  to  the  State,  if  the  same  or  any  part  thereto,  shall 
be  vacant,  the  same  shall  not  be  liable  to  the  entry  or  entries 
of  any  person  or  persons,  without  an  express  act  of  the  legisla- 
tion to  that  effect ;  Provided  always,  That  it  shall  not  be  law- 
'  ful  for  any  person  or  persons  to  make  any  entry  or  entries  on 
the  said  lands,  after  the  passing  of  this  act.  Provided  always, 
That  nothing  in  this  act  contained  shall  be  construed  so  as  to 
effect  the  title  of  any  individual ;  Provided  nevertheless,  That 
no  lot  or  parcel  of  lands  laid  off  under  the  direction  of  said  com- 
missioners, shall  exceed  two  hundred  acres  ;  And  Provided 
further,  That  no  lease  shall  be  made  but  by  public  auction,  of 
which  due  notice  shall  be  given  in  the  Halifax  and  Edenton 
newspapers." 


ACTS  OF  ASSEMBLY  FROM  1 82 1  TO  1825,  PAGE  13,  CHAPTER  13, 
STATE   LIBRARY. 

"  An  act  concerning  the  lands  held  under  leases  from  the  Tus- 
carora tribe  of  Indians. 

"  Whereas  it  is  represented  to  this  General  Assembly,  in  be- 
half of  persons  holding  lands  under  leases  for  a  long  term  of 


92  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

years  from  the  Tuscarora  tribe  of  Indians,  that  they  are  sub- 
ject to  great  inconveniences  from  their  estates  being  mere  cat- 
tle interest :  For  remedy  whereof, 

"  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of 
the  same. 

"  That  the  estates  in  lands  now  held  by  certain  individuals, 
under  leases  for  a  term  of  years  from  the  Tuscarora  tribe  of 
Indians,  made  in  pursuance  of  certain  acts  of  the  General  As- 
sembly of  this  State,  shall  be  hereafter  considered  real  estate  ; 
shall  decend  to,  and  be  devided  among  the  heirs  of  any  intes- 
tate, subject  to  dower  and  tenancy  by  courtesy,  and  other  in- 
cidents to  real  estate,  and  its  liabilitiy  to  execution,  and  its 
conveyance  and  devise,  shall  be  governed  by  the  same  rules  as 
are  now  prescribed  in  the  case  of  real  estate  held  in  fee  simple  ; 
Provided  that  nothing  herein  contained,  shall  be  so  construed 
as  to  give  to  the  individuals  holding  the  said  term  of  years,  a 
right  to  enjoy  the  same  for  a  longer  period  than  is  designated ' 
in  the  leases  executed  by  the  Tuscarora  Indians,  in  pursurance 
of  acts  of  the  General  Assembly  of  this  state,  nor  as  to  give  to 
said  individuals  any  right  which  by  the  constitution  of  this 
state,  is  exclusively  confirmed  to  the  freeholders. 


LAWS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA  FROM   1827  TO  1831,  PAGE  II,  VOL. 

I,  CHAPTER  XIX,  IN  STATE  LIBRARY.      ACT  OF  NOV. 

I7TH,    1828. 

"  An  act  concerning  the  lands  formerly  occupied  by  the  Tusca- 
rora tribe  of  Indians  lying  in  Bertie  County,  on  the  north 
side  of  Roanoke  river. 

"Whereas  the  Tuscarora  Indians  have  for  more  than  a  cen- 
tury been  the  firm  and  undividing  friends  of  the  white  people 
of  this  country,  insomuch  that  the  people  of  North  Carolina 
not  only  render  to  them  full  and  complete  Justice,  but  also  to 


OF  THE  IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  93 

exercise  towards   them  that  spirit  of  generosity  which  their 
conduct  has  merrited :  Therefore, 

"  I.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  and  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of  the 
same,  that  William  R.  Smith  of  Halifax,  Simon  J.  Barker,  of 
Martin  and  William  Brittin  of  Bertie,  be,  and  they  are  hereby 
appointed  commissioners  for  the  purpose  of  advertising  and 
selling  in  manner  hereinafter  directed,  the  above  named  tract 
of  land  bounded  as  follows,  to  wit :  beginning  at  the  mouth  of 
Quitsnoy  swamp  ;  running  up  the  swamp  430  poles  to  a  scrub- 
by oak,  near  the  head  of  said  swa^mp  by  a  great  spring  ;  thence 
north  10  degrees  east  850  poles,  to  a  persimmon  tree,  on  Raquis 
Swamp  ;  thence  along  the  swamp  and  Pocasin  main  course 
north  57  degrees  west  2,640  poles,  to  a  hickory  on  the  east  side 
of  Falling  Run  on  Deep  Creek,  and  down  the  various  courses 
of  said  Run  to  Roanoke  River  ;  then  down  the  river  to  the 
first  station. 

"  II.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  title  so  to  be  sold 
by  said  commissioners  shall  be  understood  to  extend  only  to 
the  reversion  of  the  State  in  said  lands  after  the  expiration  of 
the  lease  from  the  Indians,  under  which  they  are  now  held, 
and  after  the  ratification  of  this  act,  and  notice  thereof  to  the 
commissioners,  it  shall  be  their  duty  to  proceed  forthwith  to 
advertise  in  the  newspapers  most  convenient  to  the  premises, 
and  also  in  five  of  the  most  public  places  in  -the  counties  of 
Bertie,  Halifax  and  Martin,  including  the  court  houses  in  said 
counties,  that  a  sale  of  said  lands,  according  to  the  provisions 
of  this  act,  will  take  place  on  Tuesday  of  the  ensuing  March 
term  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Birtie  county,  that  is,  on  the 
1 7th  day  of  March  next ;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said 
commissioners  to  attend  to  the  aforesaid  time  and  place,  and 
offer  in  the  court  house  yard,  at  public  sale  to  the  highest  bid- 
der, the  said  lands,  according  to  advertisement,  subject  howev- 
er to  the  lease  aforesaid,  and  the  commissioners  shall  have  pow- 
er to  continue  or  postpone  the  sale  from  day  to  day  until  the 


94  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

end  of  the  week,  and  should  they,  by  unavoidable  accident  or 
otherwise  be  prevented  from  selling  all  or  any  part  of  the  lands 
during  the  same  week,  it  shall  be  their  duty  to  advertise  in  like 
manner,  for  two  months  next  preceding  the  following  Septem- 
ber term  of  the  Bertie  court,  and  to  sell  at  said  term,  as  is 
heretofore  directed,  at  the  March  term,  and  said  commissioners 
shall  be  empowered  to  put  up  said  lands  in  such  parcels  as  they 
may  deem  most  advantageous  for  selling,  and  that  they  shall 
give  the  purchasers  a  credit  of  twelve  months  on  one-half  the 
purchase  money,  and  a  credit  of  twelve  months  on  the  other 
half ;  Provided  always,  that  the  purchaser  shall  deliver  to  the 
commissioners  bonds  with  good  and  sufficient  security  for  the 
same,  payable  to  the  Governor  of  the  State. 

"  III.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  should  the  commis- 
sioners upon  offering  said  lands  as  aforesaid  perceive  that  they 
were  likely  to  be  sacrificed,  or  to  sell  for  an  amount  greatly 
below  their  value,  it  shall  be  their  duty  forthwith  to  discontin- 
ue the  sale,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  commissioners  after 
making  sale,  or  if  no  sale  be  made,  immediately  after  Septem- 
ber next  to  make  report  to  the  public  Treasurer  of  the  State 
of  all  such  proceedings  that  they  may  have  had  under  this  act> 
and  also  to  hand  over  to  him  all  such  bonds  as  they  may  have 
taken  from  purchasers ;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,  upon  a  certificate  from  the  Treasurer  of  pay. 
ment  of  the  purchase  money  and  a  certificate  from  the  com- 
missioners of  the  boundaries  of  the  land  so  purchased,  to  grant 
a  title  of  release  from  the  State  of  North  Carolina  to  such  per- 
sons as  may  be  reported  purchasers  by  said  commissioners 
under  the  act  of  Assembly. 

"  IV.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  public  Treasurer  to  collect  the  money  on  said  lands 
when  they  shall  become  due  and  hold  the  same  subject  to  the 
order  of  the  Tuscarora  tribe  of  Indians  ;  and  whenever  such 
order  shall  be  presented,  properly  and  duly  authenticated,  by 
said  tribe  or  nation  of  Indians,  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  pay  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX  NATIONS.  95 

same  over  accordingly  ;  Provided  always  that  upon  paying 
such  monies,  the  Public  Treasurer  shall  take  from  said  Indians 
or  agents,  a  full  and  complete  release  of  all  such  claim,  pretence 
of  title,  as  they  now  make  or  ever  may  have  to  the  aforesaid 
tract  of  lands. 

"V.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  commissioners 
shall  be  allowed  each  the  sum  of  three  dollars  for  every  day 
that  they  shall  necessarily  be  employed  in  examining  said 
lands,  or  in  attending  the  sale  of  same,  to  be  paid  out  of  the 
funds  arising  from  the  sale. 

"  VI.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  it  should  appear  at  any 
time  thereafter  that  the  said  Indians  have  parted  with  their 
claims,  or  contracted  for  the  same,  so  that  in  fact  the  benefit 
of  the  sale  shall,  agreeable  to  the  provisions  of  this  act,  re- 
vert to  the  State." 

Governor  John  Owen,  Esq.,  appointed  as  commissioners, 
William  R.  Smith,  of  Halifax  ;  Simon  J.  Baker,  of  Martin  ;  and 
William  Brittain,  of  Birtie ;  to  sell  the  Tuscarora  lands  in  pur- 
suance to  the  lease  effected  by  the  help  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, Nov.  17,  1823,  of  which  they  reported  to  William  Roberts, 
Public  Treasurer — in  bonds  the  sum  of  $2977.87,  payable  in 
installments  of  one  and  two  years  from  the  I7th  day  of  March, 
1829,  which  are  on  file  in  the  Public  Treasurer's  Office.  And 
on  Nov.  21,  1831,  William  S.  Mahon,  the  Public  Treasarer,  re- 
reported  cash  in  bonds  for  sale  of  Tuscarora  lands — 

Principle $1400.27. 

Interest 3O-74- 


Total $1431.01. 

Another  report  of  the  same  man  January,  1832,  that  all  has 
been  collected,  and  remains  in  the  treasury,  subject  to  the  or- 
der of  the  Indians.  $3,220.71^. 

Paid  on  May  3 1st,  1831,  and  found  on  file. 

"  For  this  amount  paid  Bates  Cooke,  being  their  agent  to  re- 


96  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND  LAWS 

ceive   the   same   under   the   Act  of  Assembly   of     1828,   $3,- 
220.71^." 

In  about  the  year  1818,  the  New  York  Indians,  (which  in- 
cludes the  Tuscaroras),  were  engaged  in  a  stipulation,  to  buy  a 
tract  of  land  from  the  Menomonees  and  Winnebagoes,  which 
was  questioned  in  Congress  about  the  validity  of  a  contract  on 
purchases  of  lands  between  Indian  nations.  But  Congress  did 
concur  in  the  stipulation  made  between  the  New  York  Indians 
of  the  first  part,  and  the  Menomonees  and  Winnebagoes  of  the 
second  part,  for  lands  lying  in  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  bought 
and  paid  for  by  the  former  according  to  the  stipulation  con- 
cluded in  the  year  1822. 

For  the  payment  of  the  said  land  above,  I  can  only  speak  * 
for  the  Tuscaroras.  The  precise  amount  paid  I  am  unable  to 
state.  But  a  tax  was  made  on  the  nation ;  children  paid 
twenty-five  cents  each,  adults  paid  more  according  to  their 
ability ;  the  amount  obtained  in  this  way  I  am  unable  to  state. 
They  also  gave  their  annuities  of  two  years,  which  they  drew 
from  the  government,  and  also  two  hundred  dollars  in  money 
which  they  loaned  from  the  Oneida  Indians  (which  they  after- 
wards refunded). 

All  those  goods  and  moneys  were  paid  to  the  Menomonees 
and  Winnebagoes,  as  their  part  of  the  Green  Bay  lands.  These 
facts  I  obtained  of  the  widow  of  Jonathan  Printup,  an  honora- 
ble chief  of  the  Tuscarara  nation,  by  whom  was  entrusted  with 
the  goods  and  money  for  the  payment  of  said  lands,  which  he 
faithfully  performed,  and  was  accompanied  as  delegates  by  Dr. 
John  Patterson  and  James  Cusick,  who  were  appointed  to  the 
honorable  office  of  purchasing  a  tract  of  land  for  a  future  home 
of  their  people.  I  am  indebted  to  the  widow  of  Dr.  John  Pat- 
terson, and  also  his  brother  Harry,  for  information  which  cor- 
roborates with  that  of  the  widow  above  mentioned,  and  also  of 
other  old  people. 

In  a  short  time  afterwards,  the  Menomonees  denied  the  con- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  97 

tract  in  various  ways,  they  denied  the  efficiency  of  the  Chiefs 
who  signed  the  treaty,  and  also  denied  of  having  received  any 
payment,  and  also  denied  the  boundary  of  the  land  ceded.  This 
naturally  created  difficulty  and  discord  between  them,  and  kept 
growing  worse  from  year  to  year.  But  the  Winebagoes  never 
denied  any  of  the  denials  of  the  Menomonees. 

In  a  treaty  of  the  United  States  and  the  Menomonees  and 
Winebagoes,  of  Feb.  6th,  1826,  in  Article  8th,  it  was  acknowl- 
edged that  there  existed  some  uncertainty  in  consequence  of 
the  cession  made  by  the  tribes  upon  Fox  River  and  Green  Bay, 
to  the  New  York  Indians.  Finally  the  Menomonees  made 
their  complaint  before  the  President,  concerning  the  New 
York  Indians,  which  has  reference  to  the  case,  in  the  treaty 
by  the  United  States,  with  the  several  tribes  of  Green  Bay  on 
Feb.  23rd,  1829,  in  Article  2nd,  which  read  as  follows,  viz: 

"  Much  difficulty  having  arising  from  the  negotiations  be- 
tween the  Menomonees  and  Winebago  tribes  and  the  various 
tribes  and  portions  of  tribes  of  Indians  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  the  claims  of  the  respective  parties  being  much  con- 
tested, as  well  with  relation  to  the  tenure  and  boundaries  of 
the  two  tracts  claimed  by  the  New  York  Indians,  west  of  Lake 
Michigan,  as  to  the  authority  of  the  persons  who  signed  the 
agreement  on  the  part  of  the  Monomonees,  and  the  whole  sub- 
ject having  been  fully  examined  at  the  council  this  day  con- 
cluded, and  the  allegations,  proofs,  and  statements  of  the  re- 
spective parties  having  been  entered  upon  the  Journal  of  the 
commissioners,  so  that  the  same  can  be  decided  by  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  it  is  agreed  by  the  Monomonees 
and  Wincbagoes,  that  so  far  as  respects  their  interests  in  the 
premises,  the  whole  matter  shall  be  referred  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  whose  decision  shall  be  final.  And  the 
President  is  authorized,  on  the  parts,  to  establish  such  boun-* 
daries  between  them  and  the  New  York  Indians  as  he  may  con- 
sider equitable  and  just." 

And  also  i-n  the  treaty  of  Feb.  8th,  1838,  we  find,  in  enumer- 
(12) 


98  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

ating  the  several  reasons  for  effecting  a  treaty  at  the  above 
date,  the  following,  commencing  at  line  20,928,  in  the  Revision 
of  Indian  Treaties,  viz  :  "  as  well  as  for  the  purpose  of  settling 
the  long  existing  dispute  between  themselves,  and  the  several 
tribes  of  the  New  York  Indians,  who  claim  to  have  purchased 
a  portion  of  their  lands,  the  undersigned,  Chiefs  and  head  men 
of  the  Menomenees  tribe,  stipulate  and  agree  with  the  Uuited 
States  as  follows  : 

'•  First.  The  Menomonee  tribe  of  Indians  declare  themselves 
the  friend  and  allies  of  the  United  States,  under  whos  parental 
care  and  protection  they  desire  to  continue ;  and  although  al- 
ways protesting  that  they  are  under  no  obligation  to  recognize 
any  claim  of  the  New  York  Indians  to  any  portions  of  their 
country ;  that  they  neither  sold  nor  received  any  value  for  the 
land  claimed  by  these  tribes  ;  yet  at  the  solicitation   of  their 
Great  Father,  the   President  of  the   United  States,  and  as  an 
evidence  of  their  great  love  and  veneration  for  him,  they  agree 
that  such  a  part  of  the  land  described,  being  within  the  follow- 
ing boundaries,  as  he  may  direct,  may  be  set  apart  as  homes 
for  the  several  tribes  of  the  New  York  Indians,  who  may  re- 
move to  and  settle  upon  the  same  within  three  years  from  the 
date  of  this  agreement.  &c."     Commencing  at  line  20,970,  the 
President  of  the  United  States  is  hereby  empowered  to  appor- 
tion the  lands  among  the  actual  occupants  at  that  time,  so  as 
not  to  assign  to  any  tribe  a  greater  number  of  acres  than  may 
be  'equal  to  one   hundred   for  each  soul   actually  settled  upon 
the  lands,  and  if,  at  any  time  of  such  apportionment  any  lands 
shall   remain    unoccupied    by  any  tribes   of    the  New   York 
Indians,  such  portion  as  would  have  belonged  to  said  Indians, 
had  it  l>r<'n  occupied,  shall  revert  to  the  United  States.     That 
]>«  nt  inn,  if  any,  so  reverting  to  be  laid  off  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States.     It  is  destinctly  understood  that  the  lands 
hereby  ceded  to  the  United  States  for  the  New  York  Indians 
are  to  be  held  by  those  tri'bes,  under  such  tenure  as  the  Men- 
omonee Indians  now  hold  their  land?,  subject  to  such  regula- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  99 

tions  and  alternation  of  tenure  as  Congress  and  the  President 
of  the  United  States  shall  from  time  to  time  think  proper  to 
adopt. 

"  Second.-  For  the  above  cession  the  Unifed  States  for  the 
benefit  of  the  New  York  Indians,  the  United  States  consent 
to  pay  the  Menomonee  Indians  twenty  Thousand  Dollars,  &c. 

Also  commencing  at  line  21,118,  Article  6th,  the  Menom- 
onee Chiefs  request  that  such  part  of  it  as  relates  to  the  New 
York  Indians  be  immediately  submmitted  to  the  representa- 
tives of  their  tribes,  and  if  they  refuse  to  accept  the  provision 
made  for  their  benefit  and  to  remove  upon  the  lands  set  apart 
for  them,  on  the  west  side  of  Fox  River,  that  they  will  direct 
their  immediate  removal  from  the  Menomonee  county ;  but  if 
they  agree  to  accept  the  liberal  offer  made  to  them  by  parties 
of  this  compact,  then  the  Menomonee  tribe,  as  dutiful  children 
of  the  Great  Father,  the  President,  will  take  them  by  the  hand 
as  brothers,  and  settle  down  with  them  in  peace  and  friend- 
ship." 

SUPPLE  M  E X T A  R  V    A  RT  Id.  K  S . 

First.  It  is  agreed  between  the  undersigned,  commissioners 
on  behalf  of  the  United  States  and  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
representing  the  Menomonee  tribe  of  Indians,  that  for  the 
reasons  above  expressed,  such  part  of  the  first  Article  of  the 
agreement  entered  into  between  the  parties  hereto,  on  the  8th 
instant,  as  limits  the  removal  and  settlement  of  the  New  York 
Indians  upon  the  lands  therein  provided  for  their  future  homes, 
three  years,  shall  be  altered  and  amended  so  as  to  read  as  fol- 
lows :  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  shall  prescribe 
the  time  for  the  removal  and  settlement  of  the  New  York  In- 
dians upon  the  lands  thus  provided  for  them  ;  and  at  the  ex- 
piration of  such  reasonable  time,  he  shall  apportion  the  lands 
among  the  actual  settlers  in  such  manner  as  he  shall  deem 
equitable  and  just.  And  if,  within  such  reasonable  time  as  the 
President  of  the  United  States  shall  prescribe  for  that  purpose, 
the  New  York  Indians  shall  refuse  to  accept  the  provisions 


IOO  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

made  for  their  benefit,  or,  having  agreed,  shall  neglect  or  refuse 
to  remove  from  New  York,  and  settle  on  the  said  lands,  within 
the  time  prescribed  for  that  purpose,  that  then,  and  in  cither 
of  these  events,  the  lands  aforesaid  shall  be  and  remain  in  the 
property  of  the  United  States,  according  to  the  said  first  arti- 
cle, excepting  so  much  thereof  as  the  President  shall  deem 
justly  due  to  such  of  the  New  York  Indians  as  shall  actually 
have  removed  to  and  settled  on  the  said  lands. 

"  Second,  It  is  further  agreed  that  the  part  of  the  'Sixth  Ar- 
ticle of  the  agreement  aforesaid,  which  requires  the  removal  of 
those  of  the  New  York  Indians  who  may  not  be  settled  on  the 
lands  at  the  end  of  three  years,  shall  be  so  amended  as  to  leave 
such  removal  discretionary  with  the  President  of  the  United 
States  ;  the  Menomonee  Indians  having  full  confidence  that  in 
making  his  decision  he  will  take  into  consideration  the  welfare 
and  prosperity  of  their  nation ;  Provided,  That  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  the  rights  of  the  New  York  Indians  upon 
a  permanent  and  just  footing,  the  said  treaty  shall  be  ratified 
with  the  express  understanding  that  two  townships  of  land,"&c. 
which  goes  on  and  locates  the  different  portion  of  lands  to  the 
several  tribes  or  bands  of  the  New  York  Indians  which  was 
proclaimed,  July  9,  1832. 

"  Whereas  articles  of  agreement  between  the  United  States 
of  America,  and  the  Menomonee  Indians,  were  made  aud  con- 
cluded at  the  city  of  Washington,  on  the  8th  day  of  Februa- 
ry A.  D.  1831,  by  John  H,  Eaton,  and  Samuel  C.-Stambaugh, 
commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  certain 
Chiefs  and  headmen  of  the  Menomonee  nation.,  on  the  part  of 
the  said  nation  ;  to  which  articles  an  addition  or  supplemental 
article  was  afterwards  made,  on  the  i^th  day  of  February,  in 
the  same  year,  by  which  the  said  Menomonee  nation  agree  to 
cede  to  the  United  States  certain  parts  of  their  lands :  and 
that  a  tract  of  country  therein  defined,  shall  be  set  apart  for 
the  New  York  Indians ;  all  which,  with  the  many  other  stip- 
ulations therein  contained,  will  more  fully  appear  by  reference 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  'NATiOAS.  IOi 

to  the  same.  When  said  agreement  thus  forming  a  treaty, 
were  laid  before  the  Senate  of  the  United  States',  during  their 
then  session,  but  were  not  at  said  session  acted  oh  by  that 
body.  Whereupon  a  further  agreement  was  on  the  fifteenth 
day  of  March,  in  the  same  year,  entered  into  for  the  purpose 
of  preserving  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  made  as  aforesaid  ; 
by  which  it  is  stipulated  that  the  said  articles  of  agreement 
concluded  as  aforesaid,  should  be  laid  before  the  next  Senate 
of  the  United  States  at  their  ensuing  session,  and  if  sanction- 
ed and  confirmed  by  them,  that  each  and  every  article  threof 
should  be  as  binding  and  obligatory  upon  the  parties  respect- 
ively as  if  they  had  been  sanctioned  at  the  previous  session  ;  and 
whereas,  The  Senate  of  the  United  States,  by  their  reso- 
lution of  the  twenty  fifth  day  of  June,  1832,  did  advise  and 
consent  to  accept,  ratify,  and  confirm  the  same,  and  every 
clause  and  article  thereof,  upon  the  conditions  expressed  in  the 
proviso  contained  in  their  said  resolution,  which  proviso  is  as 
follows  :  Provided,  That  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  the 
right  of  the  New  York  Indians  on  a  permanent  and  just  foot- 
ing, the  said  treaty  shall  be  ratified,  with  the  express  under- 
standing that  two  townships  of  land,  &c.,"  as  in  article  second 
above. 

"Whereas,  Before  the  treaty  aforesaid,  conditionally  ratified, 
according  to  the  proviso  to  the  said  resolution  of  the  Senate, 
above  recited,  could  be  obligatory  upon  the  said  Menomomee 
nation,  their  assent  to  the  same  must  be  had  and  obtained." 
Which  was  clone  after  some  modifications  respecting  the  locr\- 
tion  of  the  portion  of  land  for  the  New  York  Indians.  And 
as  the  modifications  so  made  and  desired,  was  acceded  to  also 
by  the  New  York  Indians,  which  was  as  follows: 

"  To  all  to. whom  these  presents  shall  come,  the  undersigned 
chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  sundry  tribes  of  the  New  York  In- 
dians (as  set  forth  in  the  specifications  annexed* to  their  signa- 
tures), send  greeting; 

"  Whereas,  a  tedious,  perplexing  and  harassing  dispute  and 


102  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

controversy  have  long  existed  between  the  Menomonee  Nation 
of  Indians  and  the  New  York  Indians,  more  particularly  those 
known  as  the  Stockbridge,  Munsee  and  Brothertown  tribes, 
the  Six  Nations  and  the  St.  Regis  tribe.  The  treaty  made  be- 
tween the  said  Menomonee  Nation  and  the  United  States, 
and  the  conditional  ratification  thereof  by  the  Senatt  of  the 
.United  States  being  stated  and  set  forth  in  the  within  agree- 
ment, entered  into  between  the  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the 
said  Menomonee,  and  George  B.  Porter,  Governor  of  Michigan, 
commissioners  specially  appointed,  with  instructions  referred 
to  in  the  said  agreement. 

"And  whereas,  the  undersigned  are  satisfied  and  believe 
that  the  best  efforts  of  the  said  commissioners  were  directed 
and  used  to  procure,  if  practicable,  the  unconditional  assent  of 
the  said  Menomonees  to  the  change  proposed  by  the  Senate 
of  the  United  States  in  the  ratification  of  the  said  treaty,  but 
without  success. 

"And  whereas,  the  undersigned,  further  believe  that  the 
terms  stated  in  the  within  agreement  are  the  best  practicable 
terms  short  of  those  proposed  by  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States,  which  could  be  obtained  from  the  said  Menomonees ; 
and  being  asked  to  signify  our  acceptance  of  the  modifications 
preposed,  as  aforesaid,  by  the  Menomonees,  we  are  compelled 
by  a  sense  of  duty  and  propriety  to  say  that  we  do  hereby  ac- 
cept of  the  same.  So  far  as  the  tribes  to  which  we  belong  are 
concerned,  we  are  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  treaty  should  be 
ratified  on  the  terms  proposed  by  the  Menomonees.  We  fur- 
ther believe  that  the  tract  of  land  which  the  Menomonees  in 
the  within  agreement  are  willing  to  cede,  in  exchange  for  an 
equal  quantity  on.the  northeast  side  of  the  tract  of  five  hun- 
dred thousand  acres,  contains  a  sufficient  quantity  of  good  land, 
favorably  and  advantageously  situated,  to  answer  all  the  wants 
of  the  New  York  Indians  and  St.  Regis  tribe.  For  the  pur- 
pose, then,  of  putting  an  end  to  strife,  and  that  we  may  sit 
down  in  peace  and  harmony,  we  thus  signify  by  our  acceptance 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  103 

of  the  modifications  proposed  by  the  Menomonees ;  and  we 
most  respectfully  request  that  the  treaty  as  now  modified  by 
the  agreement  this  day  entered  into  with  the  Menomonees, 
may  be  ratified  and  approved  by  the  President  and  Senate  of 
the  United  States. 

"Proclaimed  March  I3th,  1835." 


104  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 


Treaties  of  New  York  Indians. 


Treaty  with  the  New  York  Indians  as  amended  by  the  Sen- 
ate, and  assented  to  by  the  several  Tribes  1838. 

Articles  of  a  treaty  made  and  concluded  at  Buffalo  Creek,  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  the  fifteenth  day  of  January,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight, 
by  Ransom  H.  Gillett,  a  commissioner  on  the  part  or  the  Uni- 
ted States,  and  the  chiefs,  head  men  and  warriors  of  the  several 
tribes  of  the  New  York  Indians,  assembled  in  council ;  witnes- 
seth; 

"  Whereas,  The  Six  Nations  of  New  York  Indians,  not  long 
after  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  became  convinced, 
from  the  rapid  increase  of  the  white  settlers  around,  that  the 
time  was  not  far  distant  when  their  true  interest  must  lead 
them  to  seek  a  new  home  among  their  brethren  in  the  West ; 
and, 

•'  Whereas,  This  subject  was  agitated  in  a  general  council  of 
the  Six  Nations  as  early  as  1810,  and  resulted  in  sending  a  me- 
morial to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  inquiring  wheth- 
er the  Government  would  consent  to  their  leaving  their  habi- 
tations, and  removing  into  the  neighborhood  of  their  western 
brethren,  and  if  they  could  procure  a  home  there,  by  gift  or 
purchase,  whether  the  Government  would  acknowledge  their 
title  to  the  lands  so  obtained  in  the  same  manner  it  had  ac- 
knowledged it  in  those  from  whom  they  might  receive  it  ;  and 
further,  whether  the  existing  treaties  would  in  such  a  case  re- 
main in  full  force,  and  their  annuities  be  paid  as  heretofore  ; 
and, 


OF.  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  10$ 

"  Whereas,  With  the  approbation  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  purchases  were  made  by  the  New  York  Indians 
from  the  Menomonees  and  Winnebago  Indians  of  certain 
lands  at  Green  Bay,  in  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin,  which,  after 
much  difficulty  and  contention  with  those  Indians  concerning 
the  extent  of  the  purchase,  the  whole  subject  was  finally  set- 
tled by  a  treaty  between  the  United  States  and  the  Menomo- 
nee  Indians,  concluded  in  February,  1831,  to  which  the  New 
York  Indians  gave  their  assent  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  Oc- 
tober, 1832  ;  and 

"  Whereas,  By  a  provision  of  that  treaty,  five  hundred  thou-, 
sand  acres  of  land  are  secured  to  the  New  York  Indians  of  the 
Six  Nations  and  the  St.  Regis  tribe,  as  a  future  home,  on  the 
condition  that  they  all  remove  to  the  same  within  three  years, 
or  such  reasonable  time  as  the  President  shall  prescribe  ;  and 
,  "  Whereas,  The  President  is  satisfied  that  various  consider- 
ations have  prevented  those  still  residing  in  New  York  from 
removing  to  Green  Bay,  and  among  other  reasons,  that  many 
who  were  in  favor  of  emigration  preferred  to  remove  at  once 
to  the  Indian  Territory,  which  they  were  fully  persuaded  was 
the  only  permanent  and  peaceable  home  for  all  the  Indians. 
And  they  therefore  applied  to  take  their  Green  Bay  lands  .and 
provide  them  a  new  home  among  their  brethren  in  the  Indian 
Territory  ;  and 

"  Whereas,  The  President,  being  anxious  to  promote  the 
peace,  prosperity  and  happiness  of  his  red  children,  and  deter- 
mined to  carry  out  the  Jiumane  policy  of  the  Government  in 
removing  the  Indians  from  the  east  to  the  'west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, within  the  Indian  Territory,  by  bringing  them  to  see  and 
feel,  by  his  justice  and  liberality,  that  it  is  their  true  policy 
and  for  their  interest  to  do  so  without  delay  ; 

"  Therefore,  Taking  into  consideration  the  foregoing  premi- 
ses, the  following  articles  of  a  treaty  are  entered  into,  between 
the  United  States  of  America  and  the  several  tribes  of  the 
New  York  Indians,  the  names  of  whose  chiefs,  head  men  and 

(13) 


106  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

warriors  are  hereto  subscribed,  and  those  who  may  hereafter 
give  their  assent  to  this  treaty  in  writing  within  such  time  as 
the  President  shall  appoint." 

GENERAL   PROVISIONS. 

"Article  i.  The  several  tribes  of  the  New  York  Indians,  the 
names  of  whose  chiefs,  head  men,  warriors  and  representatives 
are  hereunto  annexed,  in  consideration  of  the  premises  above 
recited,  and  the  covenants  hereinafter  contained,  to  be  perform- 
ed on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  hereby  cede  and  relinquish 
to  the  United  States  all  their  right,  title  and  interest  in  the 
lands  secured  to  them  at  Green  Bay  by  the  Menomonee  treaty 
of  1831,  except  the  following  tract  on  which  a  part  of  the  New 
York  Indians  now  reside :  Beginning  at  the  southwesterly 
corner  of  the  French  grants  at  Green  Bay,  and  running  thence 
southwardly  to  a  point  and  line  to  be  run  from  the  little  Coca- 
lin,  parallel  to  a  line  of  the  French  grants,  and  six  miles  from 
Fox  river  ;  from  thence,  on  said  parallel  line,  northwardly  six 
miles  ;.  from  thence  eastwardly  to  a  point  on  the  northeast  line 
of  the  Indian  lands,  and  being  a  right  angle  to  the  same. 

"Article  2.  In  consideration  of  the  above  cession  and  relin- 
quishment  on  the  part  of  the  tribes  of  the  New  York  Indians, 
and  in  order  to  manifest  the  deep  interest  of  the  United  States 
in  the  future  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  New  York  Indians, 
the  United  States  agree  to  set  apart  the  following  tract  of 
country,  situated  directly  west  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  as  a 
permanent  home  for  the  New  York  Indians  now  residing  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  or  in  Wisconsin,  or  elsewhere  in  the  United 
States,  who  have  no  permanent  homes;  which  said  country  is 
described  as  follows:  Beginning  on  the  west  line  of  the  State 
of  Missouri,  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  Cherokee  tract,  ami 
running  thence  north  along  the  west  line  of  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri, twenty-seven  miles  to  the  southerly  line  of  the  Missouri 
lands  ;  thence  west  so  far  as  shall  be  necessary,  by  runr.iiu;  a 
line,  at  right  an-le>  and  parallel  to  the  west  line  ah-ioaid.  to 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  107 

the  Osage  lands  ;'  and  thence  easterly  along  the  Osage  and 
Cherokee  lands  to  the  place  of  beginning  ;  to  include  one  mil- 
lion eight  hundred  and  twenty-four  thousand  acres  of  land,  be- 
ing three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  for  each  soul  of  said 
Indians,  as  their  numbers  are  at  present  computed.  To  have 
and  hold  the  same,  in  fee  simple,  to  the  said  tribes  or  nations 
of  Indians,  by  patent  from  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
issued  in  conformity  with  the  third  section  of  the  act  entitled, 
'An  act  to  provide  for  an  exchange  of  lands  with  the  Indians 
residing  in  any  of  the  States  or  Territories,  and  for  their  remov- 
al west  of  the  Mississippi/  approved  on  the  28.th  day  of  May, 
1830,  with  full  power  and  authority  in  the  said  Indians  to 
divide  said  lands  among  the  different  tribes,  nations  or  bands 
in  severalty,  with  the  right  to  sell  and  convey  to  and  from  each 
other,  under  such  laws  and  regulations  as  may  be  adopted  by 
the  respective  tribes,  acting  by  themselves  or  by  a  general 
council  of  the  said  New  York  Indians,  acting  for  all  the  tribes 
collectively.  It  is  understood  and  agreed  that  the  above  de- 
scribed country  is  intended  as  a  future  home  for  the  following 
tribes,  to-wit  :  The  Senecas,  Onondagas,  Cayugas,  Tuscaroras, 
Oncidas,  St.  Regis,  Stockbridges,  Munsees  and  Brothertowns, 
residing  in  the  State  of  New  York ;  and  the  same  is  to  be  di- 
vided equally  among  them  according  to  their  respective  num- 
bers, as  mentioned  in  a  schedule  hereunto  annexed. 

"  Article  3.  It  is  further  agreed  that  such  of  the  tribes  of 
the  New  York  Indians  as  do  not  accept  and  agree  to  remove 
to  the  country  set  apart  for  their  new  homes,  within  five  years, 
or  such  other  time  as  the  President  may  from  time  to  time  ap- 
point, shall  forfeit  all  interest  in  the  lands  so  set  apart,  to  the 
United  States. 

"  Article  4.  Perpetual  peace  and  friendship  shall  exist  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  the  New  York  Indians.;  and  the 
United  States  hereby*  guarantee  to  protect  and  defend  them 
in  the  peaceable  possession  and  enjoyment  of  their  new  home, 
and  hereby  secure  to  them,  in  said  country,  the  right  to  estab- 


108  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

lish  their  own  form  of  government,  appoint  their  own  officers, 
and  administer  their  own  laws;  subject,  however, to  the  legis- 
lation of  the  United  States,  regulating  trade  and  intercourse 
with  the  Indians.  The  lands  secured  to  them  by  patent  under 
this  treaty  shall  .never  be  included  in  any  state  or  territory  of 
this  Union.  The  said  Indians  shall  also  be  entitled  in  all  re- 
spects to  the  same  political  and  civil  rights  and  privileges  that 
are  granted  and  secured  by  the  United  States  to  any  of  the 
several  tribes  of  emigrant  Indians  settled  in  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory. 

"Article  5.  The  Oneidas  are  to  have  their  lands  in  'the  In- 
dian Territory,  in  the  tract  set  apart  for  the  New  York  Indians, 
adjoining  the  Osage  tract,  and  that  hereinafter  set  apart  for 
the  Senecas  ;  and  the  same  shall  be  so  laid  off  as  to  secure 
them  a  sufficient  quantity  of  timber  for  their  use. 

Those  tribes  whose  lands  are  not  specially  designated  in  this 
treaty  are  to  have  such  as  shall  be  set  apart  by  the  President. 

"Article  6.  It  is  further  agreed  that  the  United  States  will 
pay  to  those  who  remove  west,  at  their  new  homes,  all  such 
annuities  as  shall  properly  belong  to  them.  The  schedule 
hereunto  annexed  shall  be  deemed  and  taken  as  a  part  of  this 
treaty. 

"  Article  7.  It  is  expressly  understood  and  agreed  that  the 
treaty  must  be  approved  by  the  President  and  ratified  and  con- 
firmed by  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  before  it  shall  be 
binding  upon  the  parties  to  it. 

It  is  further  expressly  understood  and  agreed  that  the  rejec- 
tion, by  the  President  and  Senate,  of  the  provisions  thereof, 
applicable  to  one  tribe  or  distant  branch  of  a  tribe  shall  not 
be  construed  to  invalidate  as  to  others  ;  but  as  to  them,  it  shall 
be  binding  and  remain  in  full  force  and  effect. 

Article  8.  It  is  stipulated  and  agreed  that  the  accounts  of 
the  commissioner  and  expenses  incurred, by  him  in  holding  a 
council  with  the  New  York  Indians,  and  concluding  treaties 
at  Green  Bay  and  Duck  Creek  in  Wisconsin,  and  in  the  State 


OF   THE    IROOUOIS,  OR    SIX    NATIONS.  ICX) 

of  New  York  in  1836,  and  those  for  the  exploring  party  of  the 
present  treaty,  shall  be  allowed  and  settled  according  to 
former  precedents. 

SPECIAL   PROVISIONS   FOR   THE   ST.    REGIS. 

"Article  9.  It  is  agreed  with  the  American  party  of  the  St. 
Regis  Indians,  that  the  United  States  will  pay  to  the  said 
tribe,  on  their  removal  west,  or  at  such  time  as  the  President 
shall  appoint,  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars,  as  a  remunera- 
tion for  moneys  laid  out  by  the  said  tribe  and  services  render- 
ed by  their  chiefs  and  agents  in  securing  the  title  to  the  Green 
Bay  lands  ;  and  in  removal  to  the  same,  to  be  apportioned  out 
to  the  several  claimants  by  the  chiefs  of  the  said  party,  and  a 
United  States  commissioner,  as  may  be  deemed  by  them 
equitable  and  just.  It  is  further  agreed  that  the  following  res- 
ervation of  land  sh'all  be  made  to  the  Rev.  Eleazar  Williams 
of  said  tribe,  which  he  claims  in  his  own  right  and  that  of  his 
wife,  which  he  is  to  hold  in  fee  simple  by  patent  from  the  Pres- 
ident, with  full  power  and  authority  to  sell  and  dispose  of  the 
same,  to-wit :  Beginning  at  a  point  in  the  west  bank  of  the 
Fox  River,  thirteen  chains  above  the  old  mill-dam  at  the  rap- 
ids of  the  little  Kockalin  ;  thence  north  fifty-two  degrees  and 
thirty  minutes  west,  two  hundred  and  forty  chains  ;  thence 
north  thirty-seven  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  east,  two  hun- 
dred chains  ;  thence  south  fifty-two  degrees  and  thirty  minutes 
cast,  two  hundred  and  forty  chains  to  the  bank  of  the  Fox 
river  ;  thence  up  along  the  bank  of 'the  Fox  river  to  the  place 
of  beginning. 

SPECIAL'  PROVISION    FOR   THE    SENEGAS. 

''Article  10.  It  is  agreed  \vith  the  Senecas  that  they  shall 
have  for  themselves  and  their  friends  the  Cayugas  and  Onon- 
dagas  residing  among  them,  the  easterly  part  of  the  tract  set 
apart  for  the  New  York  Indians,  and  to  extend  so  far  west  as 
to  include  one-half  section  (three  hundred  and  twenty  acres) 


I  10  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

of  land  for  each  soul  of  the  Senecas,  Cayugas  and  Onondagas 
residing  among  them  ;  and  if  on  removing  west  they  find  there 
is  not  sufficient  timber  on  this  tract  for  their  use,  then  the 
President  shall  add  thereto  timber  land  sufficient  for  their  ac- 
commodation ;  and  they  agree  to  remove  from  the  State  of 
New  York  to  their  new  homes  within  five  years,  and  to  con- 
tinue to  reside  there.  And  Whereas,  At  the  making  of  this 
treaty,  Thomas  L.  Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  the  assignees  of 
the  State  of  Massachusetts  have  purchased  of  the  Seneca  Na- 
tion of  Indians,  in  the  presence  and  with  the  approbation  of 
the  United  States  Commissioner,  appointed  by  the  United 
States  to  hold  said  treaty  or  convention,  all  the  rights,  title, 
interest  and  claim  of  the  said  Seneca  Nation  to  certain  lands 
by  a  deed  of  conveyance,  a  duplicate  of  which  is  hereunto  an- 
nexed ;  and  whereas,  the  consideration  money  mentioned  in 
said  deed,  amounting  to  two  hundred  and*  two  thousand  dol- 
lars, belonging  to  the  Seneca  Nation,  and  the  said  nation  agrees 
to  receive  the  same,  to  be  disposed  of  as  follows  ,  The  sum  of 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  be  invested  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States  in  safe  stock,  for  their  use,  the  income  of 
which  is  to  be  paid  to  them  at  their  new  homes  annually,  and 
the  balance,  being  one  hundred  and  two  thousand  dollars,  is  to 
be  paid  to  the  owners  of  the  improvements  on  lands  so  deeded 
according  to  an  appraisement  of  said  improvements,  and  a  dis- 
tribution and  award  of  said  sum  of  money  among  the  owners 
of  said  improvement,  to  be  made  by  appraisers  hereafter  to  be 
appointed  by  the  Seneca  nation,  in  the  presence  of  the  United 
States'  Commissioner  hereafter  to  be  appointed,  to  be  paid  by 
the  United  States  to  the  individuals  who  are  entitled  to  the 
same,  according  to  said  -appraisal  and  award,  and  their  several- 
ly relinquishing  their  respective  possessions  to  the  said  Ogden 
and  Fellows." 

SPECIAL   PROVISIONS   FOR   THE   CAYUGAS. 
"  Article  II.     The  United  States   will  not  set  apart  for  the 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  Ill 

Cayugas,  on  their  removing  to  their  new  nomes  at  the  west, 
two  thousand  dollars,  and  will  invest  the  same  in  some  safe 
stocks,  the  income  of  which  shall  be  paid  them  annually  at 
their  new  homes.  The  United  States  further  agree  to  the  said 
nation  on  their  removal  west,  two  thousand  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, to  be  disposed  of  as  the  chiefs  shall  deem  just  and  equi- 
table." 

SPECIAL   PROVISION    FOR    THE    ONONDAGAS    ON   THE   SENECA 
RESERVATIONS. 

"Article  12.  The  United  States  agreed  to  set  apart  for  the 
Onondagas  residing  on  the  Seneca  Reservation,  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars,  on  their  removing  west,  and  to  invest  the 
same  in  safe  stock,  the  income  of  which  shall  be  paid  to  them 
annually,  at  their  new  homes.  And  the  United  States  further 
agree  to  pay  to  the  said  Onondagas,  on  their  removal  to  their 
new  homes  in  the  west,  two  thousand  dollars,  to  be  disposed 
of  as  the  chiefs  shall  deem  equitable  and  just." 

SPECIAL    PROVISION'S    H>R   THE    ONEIDAS    RESIDING   IN   THE 
STATE   OF   NEW   YORK.' 

.  "Article  13.  The  United  States  will  pay  the  sum  of  four 
thousand  dollars,  to  be  paid  to  Babtist  Powlis,  and  the  chiefs 
of  the  first  Christian  party  residing  at  Oneida,  and  the  sum  of 
two  thousand  dollars  shall  be  paid  to  "William  Day,  and  the 
chiefs  of  the  Orchard  party  residing  there,  for  expenses  i-ncurr- 
ed  and  services  rendered  in  securing  the  Green  Bay  country, 
and  the  settlement  of  a  portion  thereof  ;  and  they  hereby  agree- 
to  remove  to  their  -new  homes  in  the  Indian  Territory  as  soon 
as  they  can  make  satisfactory  arrangements  with  th<i  Governor 
of  the  State  of  New  York  for  tjie  purchase  of  their  lands  at 
Oneida," 

SPECIAL    PROVISION    FOR    THE    TUSCAROKAS. 

"  Article  14.  The  Tuscarora  Nation  agree  to  accept  the 
country  set  apart  for  them  in  the  Indian  Territory,  and  to  re- 


112  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

move  there  within  five  years,  and  continue  to  reside  there.  It 
is  further  agreed  that  the  Tuscaroras  shall  have  their  lands  in 
the  Indian  country,  at  the  forks  or  the  Neasha  River,  which 
shall  be  so  laid  off  as  to  secure  a  sufficient  quantity  of  timber 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  nation.  But  if  on  examination, 
they  are  not  satisfied  with  this  location,  they  are  to  have  their 
lands  at  such  a  place  as  the  President  of  the  United  States 
shall  designate.  The  United  States  will  pay  to  the  Tuscarora 
Nation,  on  their  settling  at  the  west,  three  thousand  dollars,  to 
be  disposed  of  as  the  chiefs  shall  deem  most  equitable  and  just. 

"  Whereas,  The  said  nation  owns,  in  fee  simple,  five  thous- 
and acres  of  land  lying  in  Niagara  county,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  which  was  conveyed  to  the  said  nation  by  Henry  Dear- 
born, and  they  wish  to  sell  and  convey  the  same  before  they 
remove  west. 

"  Now,  therefore,  in  order  to  have  the  same  done  in  a  legal 
and  proper  way,  they  hereby  convey  the  same  to  the  United 
States,  and  to  be  held  in  trust  for  them  ;  and  they  authorize 
the  President  to  sell  and  convey  the  same,  and  the  money 
which  shall  be  received  for  the  said  lands,  exclusive  of  the  im- 
provement, the  President  shall  invest  in  safe  stock  for  their 
benefit,  the  income  from  which  shall  be  paid  to  the  nation  at 
their  new  homes  annually;  and  the  money  which  shall  be  re- 
ceived for  improvements  on  said  lands  shall  be  paid  to  the 
owners  of  the  improvements,  when  the  lands  are  sold.  The 
President  shall  cause  the  lands  to  be  surveyed,  and  the  im- 
provements shall  be  appraised  by  such  persons  as  the  nation 
shall  appoint ;  and  said  lands  shall  also  be  appraised,  and  shall 
not  be  sold  at  a  less  price  than  the  appraisal,  without  the  con- 
sent of  James  Cusick,  William  Mount  Pleasant  and  William 
Chew,  or  the  survivor  or  survivors  of  them.  And  the  expen- 
ses incurred  by  the  United  States  in  relation  to  this  trust  are 
to  be  deducted  from  the  moneys  received  before  investment. 
And  whereas,  at  the  making  of  this  treaty,  Thomas  L.  Ogclen 
and  Joseph  Fellows,  the  assignees  of  the  State  of  Massachu- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  113 

setts,  have  purchased  of  the  Tuscarora  Nation  of  Indians,  in 
the  presence  and  with  the  approbation  of  the  commissioner 
appointed  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  to  hold  a  treaty 
or  convention,  all  the  right,  title,  interest,  and  claim  of  the 
Tuscarora  Nation  to  certain  lands,  by  a  deed  of  conveyance,  a 
duplicate  of  which  is  hereunto  annexed  ;  and  whereas,  the  con- 
sideration money  for  said  lands  has  been  secured  to  the  said 
nation  to  their  satisfaction,  by  Thomas  L.  Ogden  and  Joseph 
Fellows.  Therefore  the  United  States  hereby  assent  to  the 
said  sale  and  conveyance,  and  sanction  the  same. 

"  Article  15.  The  United  States  hereby  agree  that  they  will 
appropriate  the  sum  of  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  to  be 
applied  from  time  to  time,  under  the  direction  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  in  such  proportions  as  may  be  best  for 
the  interests  of  the  said  Indians,  parties  to  the  treaty,  for  the 
following  purposes  to  wit :  To  aid  them  in  removing  to  their 
new  homes,  and  supporting  themselves  the  first  year  after  their 
removal ;  to  encourage  and  assist  them  in  education,  and  in 
being  taught  to  cultivate  their  lands,  in  erecting  mills  and  oth- 
er necessary  houses  ;  in  purchasing  domestic  animals  and  farm- 
ing utensils,  and  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  mechanical 
arts. 

SCHEDULE  A. 

OF  THE  NEW  YORK   INDIANS  AS  TAKEN  IN  1837. 

Number  residing  on  the  Seneca  Reservations: 

s 2,309 

Onoiuiagas 194 

Cay u gas 1 30 


2,633 

Onondagas  at  Onondaga 300 

Stockbridge 217 

.Munsees 132 

•  (14) 


114  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

Brothertowns , 360 

Oneidas  in  New  York 620 

Oneidas  at  Green  Bay 600 

St.  Regis  in  New  York 350 

Tuscaroras 273 

The  above  was  made  before  the  execution  of  the  treaty. 

R.  H.  GILLET,  Commissioner. 

SCHEDULE  B. 

The  following  is  the  disposition  agreed  to  be  made  of  the 
sum  of  three  thousand  dollars  provided  in  the  treaty  for  the 
Tuscaroras  by  the  chiefs,  and  assented  to  by  the  Commissioner, 
and  is  to  form  a  part  of  the  treaty  : 

To  Jonathan  Printess,  ninety-three  dollars. 

To  William  Chew,  one  hundred  and  fifteen  dollars. 

To  John  Patterson,  forty-six  dollars. 

To  Wm.  Mt.  Pleasant,  one  hundred  and  seventy-one  dollars. 

To  James  Cusick,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars. 

To  David  Peter,  fifty  dollars. 

The  rest  and  residue  thereof  is  t6  be  paid  to  the  Nation. 

The  above  was  agreed  to  before  the  execution  of  the  treaty. 

R.  H.  GILLET,  Commisioner. 

SCHEDULE  .C. 

SCHEDULE    APPLICABLE   TO    THE    ONONDAGAS   AND    CAYUGAS 
RESIDING  ON  THE  SENECA  RESERVATIONS. 

It  is  agreed  that  the  following  disposition  shall  be  made  of 
the  amount  set  apart  to  be  divided  by  the  chiefs  of  those  na- 
tions in  the  preceding  part  of  this  treaty,  anything  to  the  con- 
trary notwithstanding  : 

To  William  King,  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 

To  Joseph  Isaac,  seven  hundred  dollars. 

To  Ja|%  Wheelbarrow,  three  hundred  dollars. 

To  William  Jacket,  five  hundred  dollars. 

To  Buton  George,  five  hundred  dollars. 


OF  THE  IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  1 15 

The  above  was  agreed  to  before  the  treaty  was  fully  exe- 
cuted. 

R.  H.  GILLET,  Commissioner. 

At  a  treaty  held  under  the  authority  of  the  United  States 
of  America  at  Buffalo  Creek,  in  the  county  of  Erie  and  the 
State  of  New  York,  between  the  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the 
Seneca  Nation  of  Indians,  duly  assemble^  in  council,  and 
representing  and  acting  for  the  said  Nation,  on  the  one  part, 
and  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
Joseph  Fellows,  of  Geneva,  in  the  county  of  Ontario,  on  the 
other  part,  concerning  the  purchase  of  the  right  and  claims  of 
the  said  Indians  in  and  to  the  lands  within  the  State  of  New 
York,  remaining  in  their  occupation.  Ransom  H.  Gillet,  Esq., 
a  commissioner  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  attend  and  hold  the  said  treaty,  and  also  Josiah 
Trowbridge,  Esq.,  the  superintendent  on  behalf  of  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Massachusetts,  being  severally  present  at  the  said 
treaty,  the  said  chiefs  and  head  men,  on  behalf,  of  the  Seneca 
Nation,  did  agree  to  sell  and  release  to  the  said  Thomas  Lud- 
low Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  and  they,  the  said  Thomas 
Ludlow  Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  did  agree  to  purchase  all 
the  right,  title  and  claim  of  the  saio^Seneca  Nation  of,  in  and 
to  the  several  tracts,  pieces  or  parcels  of  land  mentioned  and 
described  in  the  instrument  of  writing  next  hereinafter  set 
forth,  and  at  the  price  or  sum  therein^specified,  as  the  consid- 
eration or  purchase  money  for  such  sale  and  release  ;  which 
instrument,  being  read  and  explained  to  the  said  parties  and 

utually  agreed  to,  was  signed  and  sealed  by  the  said  con- 
tracting parties,  and  is  in  the  words  following : 

This  indenture,  made  this  fifteenth  day  of  January,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight, 
between  the  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  Seneca  Ration  of  In- 
dians, duly  assembled  in  council,  and  acting  for  aa>_f  on  behalf 
of  the  said  Seneca  Nation,  of  the  first  part,  and  f  homas  Lud- 


Il6  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

low  Ogden,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  Joseph  Fellows,  of 
Geneva,  in  the  county  of  Ontario,  of  the  second  part,  witness- 
eth: 

That  the  said  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  Seneca  Nation 
of  Indians,  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and 
two  thousand  dollars  to  them  in  hand  paid  by  the  said  Thomas 
Ludlow  Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  the  receipt  whereof  is 
hereby  acknowfcdged,  have  granted,  bargained,  solji,  released 
and  confirmed,  and  by  these  presents  do  grant,  bargain,  sell, 
release  and  confirm  unto  the  said  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden  and 
Joseph  Fellows,  and  to  their  heirs  and  assigns,  all  that  certain 
tract  or  parcel  of  land  situate,  lying  and  being  in  the  county  of 
Erie  and  State  of  New  York,  commonly  called  and  known  by 
the  name  of  Buffalo  Creek  Reservation,  containing  by  estima. 
tion  forty-nine  thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  be  the 
contents  thereof  more  or  less.  Also  all  that  certain  other  tract 
or  parcel  of  land,  situate,  lying  and  being  in  the  counties  of 
Erie,  Chautauqua  and  Cattaraugus,  in  said  State,  commonly 
called  and  known  by  the  name  of  Cattaraugus  Reservation, 
Containing  by  estimation  twenty-one  thousand  six  hundred  and 
eighty  acres,  be  the  contents  thereof  more  or  less.  Also  all 
that  certain  other  trac^  or  parcel  of  land,  situate,  lying  and 
being  in  the  said  county  of  Cattaraugus,  in  said  State,  com- 
monly called  and  known  by  the  name  of  the  Alleghany  Reser- 
vation, containing  by  estimation  thirty  thousand  four  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  acres,  bt  the  contents  more  or  less.  And  also 
all  that  certain  other  tract  or  parcel  of  land,  situate,  lying  and 
being  partly  in  said  county  of  Erie  and  partly  in  the  county  of 
Genesee  in  said  State,  commonly  called  and  known  by 
name  of  the  Tonawanda  Reservation,  and  containing  by  esti- 
mation twelve  thousand  eight  hundred  acres,  be  the  same  more 
or  less  :  As  the  said  several  tracts  of  land  have  been  heretofore 
reserved/** nd  are  held  and  occupied  by  the  Seneca  Nation  of 
Indians,  cf11  by  individuals  thereof,  together  with  all  and  singu- 
lar the  rights,  privileges,  hereditaments  and  appurtenances  to 


OF  THE  IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  1 17 

each  and  every  of  the  said  tracts  or  parcels  of  land  belonging 
or  appertaining  ;  and  all  the  estate,  right,  title,  interest,  claim 
and  demand  of  the  said  party  of  the  first  part,  and  of  the  said 
Seneca  Nation  of  Indians,  of,  in  and  to  the  same,  and  to  each 
and  every  parcel  thereof ;  to  have  and  to  hold  all  and  singular 
the  above  described  and  released  premises  unto  the  said 
Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  their  heirs  and 
assigns,  to  their  proper  use  and  behalf  forever,  as  joint  tenants, 
and  not  as  tenants  in  common. 

At  the  before-mentioned  treaty,  held  in  my  presence,  as 
superintendent  on  the  part  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  this  day  concluded,  the  foregoing  instrument  of 
writing  was  agreed  to  by  the  contracting  parties  therein  named, 
and  was  in  my  presence  executed  by  them,  and  being  approved 
by  me,  I  do  hereby  certify  and  declare  such  my  approbation 
thereof. 

Witness  my  hand  and  seal,  at  Buffalo  Creek,  this  i5th  day  of 
January,  in  the  year  1838. 

JOSIAH  TROWBRIDGE. 

I  have  attended  a  treaty  of  the  Seneca  Nation  of  Indians, 
held  at  Buffalo  Creek,  in  the  county  of  Erie,  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  on  the  fiteenth  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight,  when  the 
within  instrument  was  duly  executed  in  my  presence,  by  the 
chiefs  of  the  Seneca  Nation,  being  fairly  and  properly  under- 
stood by  them.  I  do  therefore  certify  and  approve  the  same. 

R.  H.  GILLET,  Commissioner. 

At  a  treaty  held  under  and  by  authority  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  at  Buffalo  Creek,  in  the  county  of  Erie,  and 
State  of  New  York,  between  the  sachems,  chiefs  and  warriors 
of  the  Tuscarora  Nation  of  Indians,  duly  assembled  in  council, 
and  representing  and  voting  for  the  said  Nation,  on  the  one 
part,  and  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden,  of  the  city  of  New  York, 


n8  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND  LAWS 

and  Joseph  Fellows,  of  Geneva,  in  the  county  of  Ontario,  on 
the  other  part,  concerning  the  purchase  of  the  rights  and 
claim  of  the  said  Indians  in 'and  to  the  lands  within  the  State 
of  New  York  remaining  in  their  occupation.  Ransom  H. 
Gillett,  Esq.,  a  commissioner  appointed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States  to  attend  and  hold  the  said  treaty,  and  also 
Josiah  Trowbridge,  Esq.,  the  superintendent  on  behalf  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  being  severally  present  at 
the  said  treaty,  the  said  sachems,  chiefs  and  warriors,  on  behalf 
of  the  said  Tuscarora  Nation,  did  agree  to  sell  and  release  to 
the  said  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  and  they, 
the  said  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  did  agree 
to  purchase  all  the  right,  title  and  claim  of  the  Tuscarora  Na- 
tion of,  in  and  to  the  tract,  piece  or  parcel  of  land  mentioned 
and  described  in  the  instrument  of  writing  next  hereafter  set 
forth,  and  at  the  price  or  sum  therein  specified  as  the  considera- 
tion or  purchase  money  for  such  sale  and  release  ;  which  instru- 
ment being  read  and  explained  to  the  said  parties,  and  mutu- 
ally agreed  to,  was  signed  and  sealed  by  the  contracting  par- 
ties, and  is  in  the  words  following : 

This  indenture,  made  this  fifteenth  day  of  January,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight, 
between  the  sachems,  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  Tuscarora  Na- 
tion of  Indians,  duly  assemblnd  in  council,  and  acting  for  and 
on  behalf  of  the  said  Tuscarora  Nation,  of  the  first  part,  and 
Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  Joseph 
Fellows,  of  Geneva,  in  the  county  [of  Ontario,  of  the  second 
part,  witnesseth : 

That  the  said  sachems,  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  Tuscarora 
Nation,  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  nine  thousand  six  hun- 
dred dollars  to  them  in  hand  paid  by  the  said  Thomas  Ludlow 
Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby 
acknowledged,  have  granted,  bargained,  sold,  released  and  con- 
firmed, and  by  these  presents  do  grant,  bargain,  sell,  release 
and  confirm  to  the  said  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden  and  Joseph 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX  NATIONS.  1 19 

Fellows,  and  to  their  heirs  and  assigns,  all  that  tract  or  parcel 
of  land  situated,  lying  and  being  in  the  county  of  Niagara,  and 
State  of  New  York,  conmonly  called  and  known  by  the  name 
of  the  Tuscarora  Reservation,  or  Seneca  grant,  containing  nine- 
teen hundred  and  twenty  acres,  be  the  same  more  or  less,  being 
the  lands  in  their  occupancy,  and  not  included  in  the  land  con- 
veyed to  them  by  Henry  Dearborn,  together  with  all  and 
singular  the  rights,  privileges,  hereditaments  and  appurtenances 
to  the  said  tract  or  parcel  of  land  belonging  or  appertaining, 
and  all  the  estate,  right,  title,  interest,  claim  and  demand  of  the 
said  party  of  the  first  part,  and  of  the  said  Tuscarora  Nation  of 
Indians  of,  in  and  to  the  same,  and  to  every  part  and  parcel 
thereof ;  to  have  and  to  hold  all  and  singular  the  above  de- 
scribed and  released  premises  unto  the  said  Thomas  Ludlow 
Ogden  and  Joseph  Fellows,  and  their  heirs  and  assigns,  to  their 
proper  use  and  behoof  forever,  as  joint  tenants  and  not  as 
tenants  in  common. 

At  the  above-mentiojied  treaty,  held  in  my  presence  as  super- 
intendent on  the  part  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts 
and  this  day  concluded,  the  foregoing  instrument  was  agreed  to 
by  the  contracting  parties  therein  named,  and  was  in  my  pres- 
ence executed  by  them ;  and  being  approved  by  me,  I  do  here- 
by certify  and  declare  such  my  approbation  thereof. 

Witness  my  hand  and  seal  at  Buffalo  Creek,  this  i$th  day  of 
January,  in  the  year  1838, 

J.  TROWBRIDGE,  Superintendent. 

I  have  attended  a  treaty  of  the  Tuscarora  Nation  of  Indians, 
held  at  Buffalo  Creek,  in  the  county  of  Erie,  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  7anuary,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight,  when  the 

within  instrument  was  duly  executed  in  my.  presence  by  the 
sachems,  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  said  nation,  being  fairly 
and  properly  understood  and  transacted  by  all  the  parties  of 
Indians  concerned,  and  declared  to  be  done  to  their  full  satis- 
faction. I  do  therefore  certify  and  approve  the  same. 

R.  H.  GILLET,  Commissioner, 


120  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

SUPPLEMENTAL  ARTICLE  TO  THE  TREATY  CONCLUDED  AT 
BUFFALO  CREEK,  IN  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK,  ON  THE 
I5TH  DAY  OF  JANUARY,  1838,  CONCLUDED  BETWEEN  RAN- 
SOM  H.  GILLET,  COMMISSIONER,  ON  THE  PART  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES,  AND  CHIEFS  AND  HEAD  MEN  OF  THE  ST. 
REGIS  INDIANS,  CONCLUDED  ON  THE  I3TH  OF  FEBRUARY, 
1838. 

The  undersigned,  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  St,  Regis  In- 
dians, residing  in  the  State  of  New  York,  having  heard  a  copy 
of  said  treaty  read  by  Ransom  H.  Gillet,  the  commissioner  who 
concluded  that  treaty  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  he 
having  fully  and  publicly  explained  the  same,  and  believing 
the  conditions  of  the  said  treaty  to  be  very  liberal  on  the  part 
of  the  United  States,  and  calculated  to  be  highly  beneficial  to 
the  New  York  Indians,  including  the  St.  Regis,  who  are  em- 
braced in  its  provision,  do  hereby  assent  to  every  part  of  the 
said  treaty,  and  approve  the  same.  And  it  is  further  agreed 
that  any  of  the  St.  Regis  Indians  who  wish  to  do  so  shall  be  at 
liberty  to  remove  to  the  said  country  at  any  time  hereafter 
within  the  time  specified  in  this  treaty,  but  under  it  the  Gov- 
ernment shall  not  compel  them  to. remove. 

The  United  States  will,  within  one  year  after  the  ratification 
of  this  treaty,  pay  over  to  the  American  party  of  said  Indians 
one  thousand  dollars,  part  of  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars 
mentioned  in  the  special  provisions  for  the  St.  Regis  Indians, 
anything  in  the  article  contained  to  the  contrary  notwitlv 
standing. 

Proclaimed  April  4,  1840. 


In  the  year  1846,  on  the  i6th  day  of  May,  about  forty  of 
the  Tuscaroras  emigrated  from  the  reservation  to  their  new 
homes  in  the  Indian  Territory,  and  in  one  year  about  one-third 
of  them  died  on  account  of  the  sufferings  they  endured.  They 
were  destitute  of  everything,  and  the  Government  was  to  have 


OF  THE   I&OQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  121 

sustained  them  for  one  year,  and  to  build  houses  for  them,  and 
provide  all  the  necessaries  of  life,  but  they  failed  in  fulfilling 
their  promises  on  account  of  the  misconduct  of  Dr.  A.  Hoge- 
boom,  the  moving  agent  of  the  emigration  party. 

By  reference  to  official  documents  in  the  Indian  department 
it  appears  that  a  petition  from  a  small  party  of  discontented 
emigrationists  at  the  Tuscarora  village,  dated  March  4th,  1845, 
was  sent  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  expressing  a 
desire  to  remove  to  the  West.  It  also  further  appears  that  a 
letter  had  been  received  by  the  department  from  a  certain  »D. 
G.  Garnsey,  dated  May  8th,  1845,  stating  that  a  portion  of  the 
Senecas,  and  others  of  the  Six  Nations  in  western  New  York, 
were  now  ready  to  remove.  The'  Government,  justly  fearing 
that  there  might  be  persons  so  anxious  to  possess  themselves 
of  the  moneys  appropriated  by  law  for  the  removal  and  sup- 
port of  emigrating  Indians,  as  to  resort  to  fraudulent  means  for 
the  purpose,  by  letters  warned  the  Indian  agent  at  Buffalo  to 
be  oh  his  guard  against  such  imposition.  Afterwards,  several 
petitioners  from  small  fragments  of  the  Senecas  and  other 
tribes,  were  prevailed  on  to  sign  memorials  to  the  President, 
asking  to  be  removed,  and  begging  appropriations  for  that 
purpose.  To  those  well  acquainted  with  these  movements, 
there  was  sufficient  evidence  that  persons  interested  in  their 
removal  were  at  the  bottom  of  all  this  business. 

Of  the  Six  Nations,  once  the  owners  and  lords  of  the  soil 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  great  Commonwealth  of  New 
York,  there  were  many  small  remnants  scattered  over  the 
western  part  of  this  State  in  a  condition  of  wretched  vagrancy ; 
reduced  by  idleness  and  intemperance  to  poverty,  and  ready, 
for  a  trifling  compensation,  to  have  their  names  attached  to 
any  memorial,  without  regard  to  its  objects,  for  a  small  sum  of 
money  they  would  lend  themselves  to  the  service  of  any  artful 
intriguer  whose  designs  were  to  defraud  the  Government. 

By  an  act  of  Congress  passed  on  the  3rd  day  of  April,  1843, 
the  sum  of  twenty  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-seven 

05) 


122  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

dollars  and  fifty  cents  was  appropriated  for  the  removal  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  Indians  to  the  countries  west  and  south  of 
the  Missouri  river. 

This  appropriation  was  granted  in  consequence   of  repeated 
assurances  made  to  the  Indian  department  that  this  number 
were  anxious  to  emigrate.     The  glittering  prize  thus  hung  up 
in  the  face  of  the  noon-day  sun  was  so  bright  and  alluring  that 
a  goodly  number  of  hungry  candidates  were  soon  seen  entering 
the  lists  and  struggling  for  the  prize.     But,  alas !  for  the  condi- 
tions ;  unless  two  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  could  be  procured 
to  enrol  themselves  on  the  emigration*  engagement,  and  actu- 
ally  embark   for  the  West,  the  stakes  could   not  be  legally 
won.     Here  was  the  great  difficulty.     And  yet  one  would  sup- 
pose that  out  of   four  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-five 
Indians,  belonging  to  the  following  tribes,  to  wit  :  the  Senecas, 
Onondagas,  Cayugas,  Tuscaroras,  Oneidas,  St.  Regises,  Stock- 
bridges,  Munsees  and  Brothertowns,  by  taking  up  all  the  poor, 
degraded   individuals,  and  gathering    together  all  the  sincere 
emigrationists,  such   a  small   proportion   of  the   whole  might 
easily  be  procured  ;  especially  if  these  candidates  for  an  agency 
had  told  the  truth  when  they  asserted  that  large  bodies  of  the 
Indians   were   anxious   to   remove.     By   these   movements  the 
Government  had  been  induced  to  believe  that  there  really  was 
an  emigration  party  sufficiently  large   to   meet   the  objects  of 
the  late  appropriation,  and  to  warrant  the  appointment  of  an 
emigration   agent.     Under  this    impression,  the   Secretary  of 
War,  by  a  letter  dated  Sept.  12,  1845,  addressed  to   Dr.  Abra- 
ham Hogeboom,  appointed  him  to  that  office,  instructing  him, 
however,  that  no  movement  was  to  be  made  unless  the  full  com- 
plement of  emigrants  should  desire,  in  good  faith,  to  remove  to 
the  West,  and   Hogeboom   was  also  explicitly  informed   that 
"  the  Government  would  not  undertake  the  emigration  of  these 
Indians  unless  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  them,  then  residing  in 
the    State  of    New   York,  exclusive    of   the    Canada   Indians, 
should   muster  themselves  and   actually  go  with   the  agent." 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  123 

As  if  to  leave  no  door  open  for  misunderstanding,  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Indian  Affairs  at  Washington  addressed  a  letter  to 
Hogeboom,  dated  Oct.  2nd,  1845,  m  which  it  was  expressly 
declared  that  "  two  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  is  the  smallest 
number  that  will  be  emigrated." 

On  the  2/th  of  that  month,  Hogeboom  wrote  to  the  depart- 
ment giving  it  information  that  two  hundred  and  nine  Indians 
had  enrolled  themselves,  and  some  of  their  chiefs  had  assured 
him  that  at  Buffalo,  Cattaraugus  and  Alleghany  there  would 
be  twenty  more.  Thus  the  utmost  number  that  the  Doctor 
could  dare  to  hope  for  was  two  hundred  and  twenty-nine.  If 
that  letter  was  written  in  order  to  feel  after  the  temper  of  the 
department,  and  to  ascertain  how  far  it  was  disposed  to  relax 
its  determination  to  send  no  less  away  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty,  he  was  not  long  in  suspense,  for  by  a  letter  dated  Nov. 
4th  the  Secretary  of  War  again  reminded  him  that  he  was 
"  selected  to  act  as  emigrating  agent  only  in  the  event  that 
two  hundred  and  fifty  would  go."  But  on  the  /th  of  that 
month  Hogeboom  again  writes  to  him,  dating  his  letter  from 
Buffalo,  saying  he  had  ascertained  that  two  hundred  and  sixty 
Indians  had  enrolled  themselves,  and  had  fixed  on  the  2Oth  of 
that  month  as  the  time  for  starting."  This  sudden  and  unex- 
pected movement  was  not  agreeable  to  the  Secretary  on 
account  of  the  advanced  state  of  the  season ;  but,  hoping  they 
might  get  out  before  the  lakes  and  rivers  should  be  impassable 
on  account  of  the  ice,  he  immediately  ordered  provisions  for 
their  sustenance  at  their  intended  homes,  to  be  procured  and 
be  in  readiness  at  the  time  of  their  arrival. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  assurances  on  the  part  of  Hoge- 
boom, when  the  time  for  tellling  the  truth  came  the  whole 
scheme  failed  ;  a  sufficient  number  of  Indians  could  not  be 
persuaded  to  go.  The  emigration  was  therefore  indefinitely 
postponed. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  foregoing  statement  that  on  the  2/th 
day  of  October  Hogeboom  wrote  to  the  department  that  only 


124  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND    LA\VS 

two  hundred  and  nine  had  enrolled  themselves,  and  he  then 
admitted  that  only  twenty  more  could  be  hoped  for  in  addi- 
tion ;  of  course  there  was  no  prospect  of  emigrating  that  season. 
Indeed  the  Doctor  says  in  that  letter-,  speaking  of  the  Indians, 
"they  do  not  think  they  will  be  able  to  obtain  the  number  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  to  emigrate  this  fall."  Up  to  this  time 
nothing  had  been  done  to  induce  the  war  department  to  ad- 
vance any  money  to  the  agent.  So,- not  only  had  the  emigra- 
tion scheme  failed,  but,  so  far  as  the  Doctor  had  been  moved 
by  pecuniary  motives,  he  had  also  failed.  This  was  no  doubt 
a  trying  circumstance,  but  the  trial  did  not  long  continue,  for 
only  ten  days  after  he  had  written  to  the  war  department  that 
the  Indians  did  not  think  they  could  emigrate  this  fall,  he 
wrote  again  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  under  date  of  Nov.  7th, 
1845,  saying  "  I  have  ascertained  that  two  hundred  and  sixty 
Indians  have  enrolled  themselves  for  emigration,  and  have 
fixed  the  time  for  starting  on  the  2Oth  inst."  The  following  is 
an  extract  from  a  letter  from  the  department  to  Hogeboom, 
dated  Nov.  I4th,  in  answer  to  his  of  the  /th.  It  was  no  doubt 
a  letter  such  as  the  Doctor  much  desired : 

SIR, — I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  /th  inst.,  informing 
the  department  of  the  enrollment  of  two  hundred  and  sixty 
New  York  Indians  for  emigration  to  their  western  homes,  and 
proceed,  now  that  there  appears  to  be  no  doubt  of  tJie  movement 
taking  place,  to  give  you  some  instructions,  &c.  * 
A  requisition  for  $10,000  has  this  day  been  issued  in  your 
favor,  with  which  you  will  be  charged  and  held  accountable 
for,  under  the  head  of  "removal,  &c.,  of  New  York  Indians," 
per  act  March  3rd,  1843. 

(Signed)         W.  MEDILL,  Commissioner. 

Thus  the  Doctor  was  put  in  possession  of  the  sum  of  ten 
tlioiisaud  dollars,  and  we  hear  no  more  about  the  two  hundred 
and  sixty  Indians,  nor  of  any  more  trouble  about  Indian  emi- 
gration during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

The  proceedings  of  Dr.  Hogeboom,  and  other  persons  inter- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  125 

ested  in  removing  the  Senecas,  necessarily  produced  great  agi- 
tation, and  a  very  •  unsettled  state  among  those  who  had  no 
idea  of  emigrating.  The  chiefs  on  the  reservations  of  Alle- 
ghany  and  Cattaraugus,  harassed  and  perplexed  by  this  vexa- 
tious state  of  things,  at  length  determined  to  address  the 
President  on  the  occasion.  This  application  procured  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  council  which  was  held  at  Cattaraugus  on 
June  2d,  1846. 

In  the  spring  of  1846  Dr.  Hogeboom,  hearing  that  the  Gov- 
ernment had  called  a  council  of  the  Senecas,  for  the  express 
purpose  of  inquiring  officially  whether  there  was  an  emigration 
party  among  them,  and,  if  there  was  one,  what  its  number, 
made  great  exertions  to  push  off  his  emigrants.  Regardless  of 
the  positive  instructions  of  the  Government,  and  without  its 
knowledge,  he  hastily  collected  as  many  of  the  Indians  as  ne 
could  bring  under  his  influence,  and  with  them  embarked  in  a 
steamboat  at  Silver  Creek,  on  Lake  Erie,  near  Cattaraugus 
Reservation. 

The  circmmstances  and  manner  of  the  embarkation  throws 
much  light  on  the  motives  and  conduct  of  this  emigrating 
agent.  The  subject  is  graphically  related  in  a  speech  of  Israel 
Jemison,  as  made  in  a  council  of  1846,  and  addressed  to  the 
Commissioners  of  the  United  States,  as  follows,  to  wit : 

"  Brothers  !  The  question  relative  to  emigration  being  dis- 
posed of,  I  will  explain  the  manner  in  which  this  removal  of 
the  Indians  to  the  West  has  been  effected.  I  believe  it  was 
irregularly  conducted.  Indeed,  I  may  say,  of  this  I  am  con- 
vinced. The  agent  who  came  to  execute  it  was  duly  notified 
that  the  Government  had  called  the  present  council  for  the  con- 
sideration and  investigation  of  this  matter.  As  soon  as  it  was 
known  that  this  had  been  determined  on,  great  efforts  were 
made  to  Imrry  off  the  emigrants  and  induce  them  to  leave  before 
the  council  would  meet.  I  am  satisfied  that  many  were  decoyed 
away  by  various  contrivances  and  gross  misrepresentations  on 


LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

the  part  of  the  emigrating  agent  and  his  emissaries.  I  myself 
remonstrated  against  these  proceedings,  and  asked  if  it  could 
be  proper  to  inveigle  and  deceive  the  Indians  in  this  manner. 
In  reply  I  was^ desired  to  be  silent,  to  which  I  rejoined  that 
many  of  them  whom  they  had  decoyed  on  board  were  then 
drunk,  and  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness  !  These  remonstrances 
availed  nothing,  and  the  whole  were  hurried  away.  If  any 
showed  an  unwillingness  to  go  they  were  told  they  might 
return  if  they^chose,  should  they  not  like  the  place  when  they 
got  there." 

The  painful,  and  indeed  the  awful  result  of  this  inhuman 
conduct  of  Dr.  Hogeboom  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the 
memorial  of  the  Seneca  chiefs  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  invoking  the  aid  of  the  Government  to  bring  back  the 
wretched  surviving  remnant  of  the  poor  duped  people.  It  is 
as  follows : 

To  His  Excellency,  James  K*  Polk,  President   of  the  United 
States  : 

The  memorial  of  the  undersigned  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the 
Seneca  Nation  of  Indians,  residing  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
respectfully  showeth, 

That  a  party  of  the  Seneca  Nation,  consisting,  as  your 
memorialists  have  been  informed,  of  sixty-two  persons,  together 
with  a  portion  of  the  Cayugas,  Onondagas  and  Oneidas,  resid- 
ing with  us,  and  a  party  of  the  Tuscaroras,  residing  near  Lew- 
iston,  in  Niagara  county,  left  the  State  of  New  York  last 
spring  to  settle  in  the  country  west  of  Missouri.  That  your 
memorialists  have  been  credibly  informed  by  letters  received 
from  individuals  among  them,  and  by  the  statements  of  such 
as  have  returned,  that  great  distress  has,  from  their  first  arrival 
there,  existed  among  them,  and  does  exist  without  mitigation, 
in  consequence  of  the  insalubrity  of  the  climate  ;  that  twenty 
persons  of  the  sixty-two  Senecas  were  already  dead  some  six 
weeks  since,  and  about  the  same  proportion  of  our  friends  of 
the  other  tribes  ;  that  many  others  were  sick  ;  that  three  of 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  127 

the  leading  Seneca  chiefs,  one  of  the  Onondagas,  one  of  the 
Oneidas,  and  a  leading  man  of  the  Tuscaroras,  were  dead ; 
that  the  remnant  of  the*  people,  with  very  few  exceptions,  were 
very  anxious  to  return,  but  were  destitute  of  the  means  of 
doing  so ;  that  many  of  them  have  sent  earnest  requests  to  us 
for  assistance  to  enable  them  to  do  so ;  but  that  only  a  few 
families  among  us  are  able  to  furnish  efficient  relief  to  their 
suffering  friends.  In  view  of  all  these  facts,  we  would  respect- 
fully request  the  President  to  furnish  the  necessary  assistance 
to  bring  back  the  remnant  of  the  party  to  their  former  homes, 
and  to  arrange  for  the  payment  of  the  annuities  belonging  to 
them,  so  that  in  future  they  may  receive  them  here.  Although 
they  went  out  from  us  against  our  earnest  remonstrance  and  en- 
treaty, and  some  of  them  mocking  our  expressions  of  concern 
for  them  as  we  stood  around  the  boat  when  they  were  going 
on  board,  still  we  shall  rejoice  to  have  them  home  again 
amongst  us,  for  they  are  our  brethren  and  their  sufferings 
grieve  us  to  the  heart.  Thirteen  of  the  Senecas  have  already 
returned,  and  three  others,  we  have  heard,  are  on  the  way. 
This  makes  the  condition  of  those  unable  to  return  the  more 
lonely  and  wretched.  We  hope  the  President  will  not  say  it 
was  their  own  fault  that  they  went  there,  for  even  if  they  were 
to  be  blamed  for  doing  so,  they  have  already  suffered  a  fearful 
punishment.  But  we  think  that  if  the  President  were  ac- 
quainted with  the  circumstances  he  would  pity  rather  than 
blame  them  for  going.  Notice  had  been  repeatedly  given  from 
the  War  Department  that  unless  a  company  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  emigrants  could  be  organized,  none  would  be  re- 
moved. Such  a  company  having  failed  to  be  organized  in  the 
fall  of  1845,  we  were  told  that  the  Department  had  required 
the  removing  agent  to  refund  the  money  he  had  received  for 
the  purpose  of  removing  them.  In  the  spring  of  the  present 
year  certain  men  were  running  from  house  to  house  among  our 
people  saying  that  the  agent  still  held  the  money  in  his  hands, 
and  would  remove  all  who  wished  to  go,  upon  the  opening  of 


128  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

navigation.  Directly  after,  notice  was  received  from  the  Gov- 
ernment that  commissioners  were  appointed,  and  that  a  Coun- 
cil would-be  'held  on  a  specified  day,  to  ascertain  if  the  requi- 
site number  wished  to  emigrate.  When  this  became  known  it 
was  immediately  reported  that  the  removing  agent  (Dr.  Hoge- 
boom)  had  already  contracted  for  their  passage — that  the 
steamboat  would  take  them  in  at  Cattaraugus  Creek  on  a  cer- 
tain day,  and  it  was  not  necessary  for  them  to  wait  for  the 
action  of  the  Government.  The  agent  soon  after  appeared, 
accompanied  by  two  individuals  from  Buffalo,  who,  as  we  were 
afterward  credibly  informed,  instigated  him  to  practice  this 
fraud  upon  the  Government,  and  endeavored,  by  representing 
the  country  west  as  a  paradise,  to  induce  a  large  company  to 
go  on  board  their  boat.  Some  of  our  friends,  who  had  not  dis- 
posed of  their  effects,  were  told  not  to  mind  their  stuff,  for  the 
country  to  which  they  wrere  going  was  so  rich,  and  they  would 
prosper  there  so  rapidly  that  they  would  never  feel  the  loss  of 
it,  and  one  family  were  hurried  away  from  their  table,  leaving 
everything  upon  it  just  as  it  was  when  they  arose  from  their 
dinner.  We  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  whole  company, 
except  a  few  leaders,  most  of  whom  are  now  dead,  were  de- 
luded by  these  flattering  but  false  representations  of  those 
white  men,  and  inasmuch  as  the  removing  Agent  appeared  on 
the  ground,  with  the  money  in  his  hand,  these  simple  people 
were  made  to  discredit  the  orders  received  from  the  depart- 
ment, relative  to  the  council  of  the  2d  of  June.  Justice  would 
indeed  seem  to  require  that  these  white  men  should  repair  the 
injury  they  have  done  to  us,  and  not  to  us  alone,  but  also  to 
the  government. 

But  we  have  no  power  to  compel  them.  Our  only  resource 
is  to  appeal  to  the  government  in  behalf  of  our  afflicted  and 
desponding  brethren,  who  are  perishing  under  the  accumula- 
ted pressure  of  disappointed  expectations — grief  for  the  dead 
and  the  heavy  hand  of  disease  upon  their  own  persons.  We 
trust  our  appeal  will  not  be  disregarded.  We  think  it  is  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  129 

dictate  of  humanity,  and  we  confidently  believe  that  the  voice 
of  the  whole  country  would  approve  the  course  of  the  Presi- 
dent if  he  would  grant  the  needed  relief.  We  would  beg  leave 
further  to  request  the  President  to  make  known  to  us  through 
our  friend  Philip  E.  Thomas,  of  Baltimore,  who  will  present 
our  memorial,  the  decision  he  may  make  in  regard  to  it. 

And  your  memorialists,  as  in  duty  bound,  will  ever  pray,  &c. 

Cattaraugus  Reservation,  Dec.  16,  1846. 
(Signed) 

James  X  Shongo,  Moses  Stephenson,  N.  T.  Strong,  William 
X  Jones,  Robert  X  Gordon,  Zachariah  X  L.  Jimison,  Daniel 
Two  Guns,  Samuel  X  Wilson,  William  X  Johnson,  John  X 
Bolden,  Benjamin  Williams,  George  Lindsay,  John  Kennedy, 
Jr.,  George  Greenblanket,  David  X  Snow,  John  Huson,  Solo- 
mon W.  Lane,  Jim  X  Junius,  Henry  Two  Guns,  Little  X  John, 
John  Talor,  John  X  Luke,  Governor  X  Blacksnake,  Israel  X 
Jimison,  William  X  Patterson,  John  X  Greenblanket,  S.  M. 
Patterson,  Moses  X  Pierce,  James  X  Stephenson,  Abraham  X 
John,  Jabez  X  Stephenson,  Peter  X  White,  Charles  Graybeard. 

In  reply  to  this  memorial,  the  following  answer  was  received 
from  the  Indian  Bureau  at  Washington : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  OFFICE  OF  INDIAN  AFFAIRS,  ) 

Feb.  23rd,  1847.      )     • 

SIR  : — The  application  for  the  removal  of  the  Seneca  Indians 
back  to  New  York  who  emigrated  West  from  there  last  sum- 
mer has  been  duly  considered.  With  every  disposition  to 
gratify  the  wishes  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  of  the  New 
York  Indians,  so  far  as  it  cquld  properly  be  done,  I  have  to  in- 
form you  that  the  Executive  Department  of  the  Government 
has  neither  the  authority  nor  the  means  to  justify  a  compliance 
with  their  desire.  In  this  particular  Congress  only  could 
authorize  the  measure  and  provide  the  requisite  means  for  the 
expense  it  would  invalue. 

Respectfully  your  ob't  servant,  W.  MEDILL. 

To  PHILIP  E.  THOMAS,  Esq.,  Baltimore,  Md. 
(16) 


130  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

When  the  chiefs  were  made  acquainted  with  the  result  of 
this  application,  they  addressed  the  following  communication 
to  the  joint  committee  of  Friends : 

CATTARAUGUS  RESERVATION,  ) 
March  22nd,  1847,      ) 

RESPECTED  FRIEND,  PHILIP  E.  THOMAS  :— Permit  us  to 
address  you  a  few  lines,  and,  through  you,  the  committee  of 
the  four-yearly  meetings  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  in  reference 
to  the  condition  of  our  suffering  friends  and  brethren  still  re- 
maining in  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi.     We  suppose 
the  committee  are  already   thoroughly   acquainted   with   the 
means  used  to  decoy  those  Indians  off,  in  contravention  of  the 
instructions  of  the  Government  to  the  removing  agent.     They 
were  flattered  with  prospects  of  almost  unbounded  prosperity. 
The  country  was  described  as  a  paradise  ;  and  they  were  told 
that  there  friends  here,  who  might  now  refuse  to  accompany 
them,  would  soon  be  compelled  to  follow,  and  that  it  would 
be  better  to  go  now  and  get  well  started  in  their  improve- 
ments, &c.,  as  soon  as  possible.     But,  when  they  reached  that 
country,  instead  of  being  a  paradise,  they  found  it  rather  a 
land  of  desolation,  disease  and  death,  and  a  large  proportion  of 
them  are  now  lying  beneath  the  turf.     The  survivors  are  dis- 
couraged and  broken-hearted,  in  addition  to  the  sufferings  from 
the  disease  which  has  swept  off  their  companions,  and  they 
are  anxious  to  return.    Application  has  been  made  to  the  Gov- 
ernment in  their  behalf,  without  obtaining  relief,  and,  from  a 
recent  letter  from  Dr.  Wilson,  we  learn  that  a  similar  applica- 
tion to  the  Legislature  of  this  State  is  likely  to  fail.     We  can- 
not make  any  appropriation  from  our  national  funds  until  the 
meeting  of   our  national  council,  as  a   law  has   been    passed 
which  would  forbid  it ;  but  if  we  delay  till  that  meeting  it  will 
expose  our  friends  to  the  horrors  of   the  sickly  season   once 
more,  and  doubtless  many  more  of  them  will  perish  in  conse- 
quence.    Under  these  circumstances,  we  see  no  other  resource 
but  to  l$ok  a^ain  to  those  kind-hearted  friends  who  have  done 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX    NATIONS.  131 

in 

so  much  already  to  relieve  us  in  our  distresses.  Our  obligations 
are  already  very  great,  and  we  cherish  deep  feelings  of  gratitude 
for  past  favors.  We  would  not  willingly  burden  your  kindness 
now  were  it  not  for  the  peculiarly  difficult  and  perplexing  con- 
dition of  things  just  at  the  present  time.  But  we  feel  that 
humanity  towards  our  own  people  demands  of  us  to  make  this 
application  in  their  behalf,  as  well  as  of  ourselves,  for  we  will 
always  cherish  a  lively  remembrance  of  your  kindness. 

Wishing  you  the  reward  of  the  benevolent  in  the  great  day, 
we  subscribe  ourselves  your  obliged  and  sincere  friends, 
In  presence  of  A§her  Wright, 

HENRY  TWO  GUNS, 
WILLIAM  KROUSE, 
GEORGE  X  BUTTON, 
JOHN  X  GREENBLANKET, 
ABRAHAM  X  JOHN, 
JAMES  SPRING, 
DANIEL  TWO  GUNS. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  these  Indians  were  carried 
away  without  the  knowledge  or  sanction  of  the  Government, 
and  consequently  without  the  requisite  preparation  for  their 
comfort  and  subsistence  in  the  western  country,  yet  the  Com- 
missioner of  Indian  Affairs,  as  soon  as  he  was  apprised  of  the 
movements  of  Dr.  Hogeboom,  anxious  to  afford  them  all  the 
relief  in  his  power,  promptly  ordered  arrangements  for  their 
reception  at  the  place  of  their  destination,  as  will  be  seen  by 
the  following  documents  in  the  War  Department,  to  wit : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  OFFICE  OF  INDIAN  AFFAIRS,  ) 

June  loth,  1846.      ( 

SlR: — Information  has  been  receently  received  at  this  office 
that  A.  Hogeboom  had  started  for  St.  Louis  with  a  party  of 
New  York  Indians,  in  number  about  two  hundred.  This  act 
of  starting  with  a  less  number  than  two  hundred  and  fifty,  in 
connection  with  the  recent  action  of  this  office,  looking  to  a 


132  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

suspension  of  the  emigration  for  a  time,  was  wholly  unauthor- 
ized, and  of  course  unexpected,  but  as  the  party  are  without 
the  reach  of  the  Department,  measures  must  be  taken  to  sub- 
sist them.  I  have  therefore  to  request  that  you  will  give  direc- 
tions to  the  Osage  sub.-agent  to  invite  proposals  as  contem- 
plated in  my  instructions  to  you  of  the  I4th  November,  1845, 

to  which  you  are  referred. 

Respectfully,  &c., 

W.  MEDILL. 
To  T.  W.  HARVEY,  Esq.,  Supt.  Indian  Affairs,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Notwithstanding  this  humane  effort  onfthe  part  of  the  Com- 
missioner to  make  provision  for  the  reception  and  accommo- 
dation of  these  emigrants,  it  appears  that  from  the  hardships 
and  exposures  to  which  they  were  subjected,  and  from  the  un- 
wholesome nature  of  the  climate  one-third  of  them  perished 
within  six  months  after  their  arrival  at  their  intended  residence. 
When  their  distressed  situation  was  made  known  to  the  Depart- 
ment, the  Commissioner  immediately  addressed  a  letter  to  the 
Indian  Agent  at  St.  Louis,  calling  his  attention  to  their  case, 
from  which  the  following  is  extracted : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  OFFICE  INDIAN  AFFAIRS,  ( 

October,  29,  1846.      ) 

SIR : — I  transmit  herewith  a  copy  of  a  letter  just  received 
from  James  Cusick,  one  of  the  party  of  the  New  York  Indians 
removed  west  last  summer  by  Dr.  Hogeboom,  from  which  it 
appears  that  there  has  been  much  sickness  and  mortality  among 
those  Indians,  and  that  they  are  in  a  distressed  situation.  Mr. 
Cusick's  letter,  supported  by  Capt.  Burbanks,  is  calculated  to 
excite  much  anxiety  on  account  of  these  Indians.  They  were 
removed  contrary  to  the  instructions  and  expectations  of  the 
Department  at  the  time,  and  their  having  gone  west  was  not 
known  until  they  were  some  distance  on  the  route.  There 
was,  consequently,  no  opportunity  for  making  the  requisite 
preliminary  arrangement  for  their  comfort  and  welfare  on  their 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  133 

arrival  west.  After  giving  you  the  instructions  of  June  roth 
for  their  subsistance,  such  had  to  be  left  to  the  judgment  and 
views  of  duty,  under  these  circumstances,  of  yourself  and  the 
Osage  Sub.  Agent,  under  whose  immediate  supervision  they 
came,  in  regard  to  what  further  required  to  be  done  for  them. 
In  my  letter  of  the  3oth  ultimo  your  attention  was  especially 
called  to  their  situation,  and  no  doubt  is  entertained,  that  your 
answers  to  that  communication  will  show  you  have  done,  or 
caused  to  be  done,  all  that  could  be  done,  under  the  circum- 
stances, for  their  relief.  Should  the  amount  now  remitted  not 
be  sufficient  to  cover  the  expenses  of  what  you  have  already 
done,  or  what  it  may  be,  in  your  judgment,  further  requisite 
to  do  for  them  in  addition  to  their  subsistance,  for  which  there 
is  a  special  appropriation,  you  will  please  report  promptly  ac- 
cordingly, and  the  necessary  funds  will  be  furnished.  Funds 
will  also  be  remitted  on  account  of  their  subsistance  when  this 
office  is  informed  that  they  are  needed. 

Respectfully, 

W.  MEDILL. 
THOMAS  H.  HARVEY,  Esq.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


134  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 


Missionary  Work. 


A  RECORD  OF  THE  CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCH  IN  THE  TUSCA- 
RORA  RESERVATION  OBTAINED  BY  INQUIRY. 

The  church  in  the  Tuscarora  Reservation  was  organized  in 
the  year  1805,  embracing  six  members  only,  under  the  care  of 
the  New  York  Missionary  Society. 

Rev.  Elkanah  Holmes,  first  missionary,  from   1805  to   1808. 

Members  of  the  Church — Sacarissa,  a  Sachem,  and  his  wife  ; 
Nicholas  Cusick,  an  interpreter,  and  his  wife  ;  Apollas  Jacobs 
and  Mary  Pempleton. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gray,  second  missionary,  'from  1808  to  1813.  At 
first  the  Indians  converted  their  Council  House  into  one  for 
public  worship,  and  also  for  school  operations,  and  in  time  they 
built  a  convenient  chapel,  which  was  painted  red,  and  was  des- 
tined to  share  the  same  fate  as  their  dwelling  houses  at  the 
hands  of  the  British  Indians  in  the  war  of  1812. 

It  was  on  December  2Oth,  1813,  when  they  were  burned  to 
the  ground,  in  consequence  of  which  the  operations  of  the 
mission  were  suspended  from  1813  to  1817,  when  Rev.  James 
C.  Crane  took  charge  of  the  mission  until  the  end  of  the  year 
1826. 

In  the  year  1821  this  mission  was  transferred  from  the  New 
York  Missionary  Society  to  the  United  Foreign  Mission 
Society. 

Rev.  Joseph  B.  Lane,  the  fourth  missionary,  took  charge  of 
the  mission  from  January  3,  1827,  to  June  8,  1827. 

Rev.  John  Elliot,  the  fifth  missionary,  also  labored  among 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  135 

these  Indians  from  June  22,  1827,  to  May  7,  1833,  when  he  left 
the  mission  by  his'own  request,  being  dismissed  from  the  ser- 
vice of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions,  to  which  this  mission  was  transferred  from  the  United 
Foreign  Mission  Society  in  the  year  1826. 

Rev.  Joel  Wood  also  labored  in  this  mission  from  October 
15,  1833,  to  October,  1834. 

Rev.  William  Williams  also  labored  among  them  from  Octo- 
ber 26,  1834,  to  August  29,  1837. 

Mr.  Gilbert  Rockwood  arrived  and  took  charge  of  the  station 
as  teacher  and  overseer  of  the  affairs  of  the  church,  and  was 
afterwards  ordained  to  the  ministry. 

Before  he  was  ordained  he  would  summon  to  his  aid  in  the 
discipline  and  ordinances  of  the  Church,  at  different  times, 
Brother  Asher  Wright,  and  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Cattaraugus  Reserva- 
tion, and  Rev.  J.  Elliott,  of  Youngstown. 

Ordained  at  Tuscarora  Mission,  July  3rd,  1839,  Rev.  Gilbert 
Rockwood  as  a  missionary  of  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions,  to  labor  among  the  Tuscarora 
Indians.  Invocation  and  reading  of  the  Scriptures  were  per- 
formed by  Rev.  Lemuel  Clark,  of  Lewiston  ;  first  prayer  by 
Rev.  John  Elliott,  of  Youngstown,  and  former  missionary  at 
Tuscarora ;  sermon  by  Rev.  E.  Parmely,  of  Jamestown  ,  con- 
secrating prayer  by  the  Rev.  Asher  Wright,  of  the  Seneca 
mission  ;  charge  by  Rev.  Asher  Bliss,  of  Cattaraugus  mission  ; 
right  hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  A.  Wright ;  address  to  the 
Church  and  people  by  Rev.  John  Elliott  ;  concluding  prayer 
by  Rev.  Elisha  B.  Sherrod,  of  Wilson  ;  benediction  by  Rev. 
Gilbert  Rockwood. 

The  exercises  were  listened  to  by  an  attentive  audience  of 
Indians,  who  probably  never  witnessed  anything  of  the  kind 
before.  The  ceremonies  were  solemn  and  interesting  to  the 
people  to  the  very  close,  although  considerably  protracted  by 
passing  through  an  interpreter. 

What  added  to  the  Interest  of  the  occasion  was  the  ordina- 


136  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

tion  of  three  native  members  as  Deacons  of  the  Church,  at  the 
close  of  the  ordination.  The  Church  has  received  a  refreshing 
from  on  high  during  the  last  winter,  which  has  added  a  num- 
ber of  members,  and  is  still  in  a  peaceful  and  prosperous  con- 
dition. 

Rev.  G.  Rockwood  was  a  faithful  missionary ;  he  went  in  and 
out  among  the  Indians,  visited  in  their  homes,  and  talked  with 
them  in  their  inroads,  and  was  a  great  advocate  in  the  cause  of 
Temperance.  He  was  a  powerful  preacher,  and  at  times  had 
great  revivals;  for  instance,  in  the  year  1852,  when  I  was  first 
awakened  to  concern  for  my  soul's  welfare.  It  was  then  my 
soul  was  first  filled  with  rejoicing  in  my  newly  found  Saviour; 
it  was  then  I  first  poured  out  my  soul  in  fervent  prayer. 

On  the  7th  day  of  March,  1852,  was  held  a  communion  sea- 
son, and  on  that  memorable  day  forty  converts  were  admitted 
to  the  full  communion  of  the  Church.  Old  men  of  seventy 
winters  and  youths  of  fourteen  bowed  down  together  to  receive 
the  ordinance  of  baptism,  of  whom  I  was  one  of  the  number, 
at  the  age  of  fifteen.  It  was  a  scene  that  angels  might  rejoice 
to  behold.  The  whole  number  admitted  to  the  Church  that 
winter  were  fifty  converts. 

Rev.  G.  Rockwood  finished  his  work  among  the  Tuscarora 
Indians  on  the  first  day  of  January,  1861.  Thus  it  is  claimed 
that  Rev.  G.  Rockwood  spent  the  longest  term  of  ministerial 
service  at  one  installation  in  Niagara  county  but  one,  which  was 
Rev.  W,  C.  Wisner  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  Lock- 
port,  N.Y. 

The  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions, 
when  they  withdrew  Rev.  Rockwood  from  this  mission,  also 
withdrew  their  supplies,  when  the  Tuscaroras  were  thrown 
upon  their  own  resources.  In  October  following  the  church 
appointed  as  delegates  Mr.  John  Mt.  Pleasant,  a  Sachem  ; 
Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs  and  Elias  Johnson,  interpreter,  to  attend 
a  meeting  of  the  Niagara  Presbytery  at  Yates,  to  make  an 
application  that  this  mission  might  come  under  the  care  of  that 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  137 

body,  which  was  granted  them  on  October  29,  1861.  The 
Presbytery  appointed  as  Committee  on  Supplies,  Rev.  Joshua 
Cook,  of  Lewiston,  and  H.  E.  Niles.  In  January,  1862,  Rev. 
Charles  A.  Keeler  was  sent  to  take  charge  of  the  mission,  who 
labored  among  them  until  1863,  after  which  the  preaching  was 
supplied  by  some  of  the  members  of  the  church,  and  more 
particularly  by  Dea.  S.  Jacobs. 

Rev.  George  Ford  supplied  the  Church  with  preaching  every 
fourth  Sabbath,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Wm.  Hall,  and  he 
by  Rev.  W.  P.  Barker,  who  began  his  labors  among  us  in  Oct., 
1877*  and  was  formerly  a  missionary  in  India. 

A  letter  by  James  Cusick,  concerning  the  Baptist  mission  at 
Tuscarora,  to  wit : 

"  In  1836,  a  portion  of  the  Tuscarora  Nation  thought  it  ex. 
pcdient  to  become  Baptists,  according  to  the  dictates  of  their 
own  conscience  and  free  enjoyment  of  their  religion  in  this  Re- 
publican government.  .  Consequently  a  Baptist  church  was  built 
and  organized  among  the  Tuscaroras,  and  they  were  called  in 
council  with  several  Baptist  churches  in  this  county.  In  1838 
they  were  admitted  into  the  Niagara  Baptist  Association  at 
Shalby. 

"  In  a  ministerial  council  June  I4th,  1838,  Mr.  James  Cusick 
was  examined  touching  his  Christian  experience,  and  called  to 
preach  the  Gospel  by  Providence  and  the  council.  They  de- 
cided on  that  question,  and  gave  him  ordination  as  a  native 
preacher,  deciding  that  he  was  well  qualified  by  a  knowledge  of 
theology ;  and  now  he  has  labored  among  several  tribes  of  the 
Six  Nations." 

The  first  Baptist  Church  at  Tuscarora  was  broken  up  in  the 
spring  of  1846,  on  account  of  an  emigration  to  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory, under  the  influence  of  Rev.  James  Cusick,  the  party 
being  composed  mostly  of  the  members  of  that  Church,  which 
caused  its  overthrow.  The  next  year,  after  about  one-third  of 
the  emigration  party  had  died  in  the  Indian  Territory,  the  re- 

(17) 


138  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

mainder  came  home  among  the  Tuscaroras,  but  Rev.  Mr.  Cusick 
removed  into  Canada  and  labored  among  the  Six  Nations  at 
Grand  river. 

In  the  year  1860  Rev.  James  Cusick  began  his  labors  again 
among  the  Tuscaroras,  in  the  town  of  Lewiston,  having  been 
invited  here  by  James  Johnson,  with  the  view  of  reorganizing 
the  former  Baptist  Church. 

On  the  fifteenth  day  of  February,  1860,  there  was  held  a 
deliberative  meeting  at  the  house  of  James  Johnson,  Rev. 
James  Cusick  acting  as  moderator.  There  were  present,  Wil- 
liam Green,  of  Grand  River ;  James  Johnson,  Isaac  N.  Jack, 
Isaac  Patterson,  Joseph  Williams,  Adam  Williams,  Sr. 

The  church  was  organized  on  March  21,  1860,  at  the  house 
of  James  Johnson,  Rev.  James  Cusick,  Moderator,  and  Isaac 
N.  Jack,  Clerk. 

A  council  of  delegates  from  Wilson  and  Ransomville  was 
invited  by  the  reorganized  Baptist  church  to  meet  on  the  26th 
day  of  April,  1860,  for  recognition,  which  duly  met.  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Sawyer,  Chairman  ;  James  Bullock,  Clerk.  Introductory 
prayer  by  Rev.  L.  C.  Pattengill ;  hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev. 
Wm.  Sawyer ;  address  by  Rev.  L.  C.  Pattengill,  including 
prayer  and  benediction  by  Rev.  Wm.  Sawyer.  The  following 
delegates  were  present,  to-wit : 

From  Wilson — Rev.  L.  C.  Pattengill,  Dea.  R.  Robinson, 
Dea.  A.  Chapin. 

From  Ransomville — Rev.  Wm.  Sawyer,  Dea.  G.  Hopkins, 
Dea.  J.  Bullock. 

They  were  received  into  fellowship  of  the  Niagara  Baptist 
Association  June  14,  1860,  held  at  Akron,  Erie  county,  N.  Y. 
James  Johnson,  the  first  deacon,  was  chosen  April  13,  1860. 

They  finished  an  edifice  of  30x40  feet,  a  convenient  chapel, 
which  was  dedicated  February  5,  1862.  A  sermon  by  Rev.  L. 
C.  Pattengill,  prayer  of  dedication  by  Rev.  Wm.  Sawyer,  report 
of  building  by  J.  C.  Hopkins. 

Rev.  James  Cusick  was  to  have  been  their  first  installed  pas- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  139 

tor,  but  in  the  year  1861  death  took  him  to  his  long  rest.  He 
was  a  powerful  preacher,  and  we  had  great  revivals  under  his 
ministrations. 

Rev.  Thomas  Green,  a  native,  was  baptized  Jan.  9th,  1861, 
and  on  the  third  day  of  Oct.,  1863,  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  a  helper  for  Rev.  Nicholas  Smith,  and  on 
Sept.  25th,  1867,  was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  and  succeeded 
Rev.  N.  Smith  as  pastor  of  that  Church,  which  office  he  faith- 
fully filled,  went  in  and  out  among  them,  with  meek  and  hum- 
ble spirit,  ever  faithful  to  his  trust.  He  had  the  gift  of  natural 
oratory,  and  we  had  some  powerful  revivals  under  his  preach- 
ing. It  would  seem  to  us  that  he  was  called  away  too  soon, 
but  the  Omniscient  Being  knows  best.  God  called  him  from 
his  labors  and  trials  in  this  vale  of  tears  to  weal  in  the  pleas- 
ures of  his  presence  and  of  his  only  Son,  Jesus,  of  whom  he 
had  preached,  and  fought,  as  did  Paul,  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
and  finished  his  course  on  Jan.  12,  1877,  and  has  seen  the 
crown  of  life  which  was  lad  up  for  him  in  Heaven. 

Rev.  Franklin  P.  Mt.  Pleasant,  a  native,  began  to  preach  the 
Gospel  in  the  spring  of  1877,  by  the  invitation  of  Rev.  T. 
Green,  and  was  licensed  on  the  23d  day  of  October,  1879, 
has  been  their  constant  preacher. 


140  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 


School  Operations. 


For  the  earlier  part  of  the  history  of  school  operations  among 
the  Tuscarora  Indians,  I  can  do  no  better  than  to  give  the  re- 
port of  Rev.  John  Elliot  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  the  year 
1832,  viz.: 

"  To  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

"  This  will  show  the  operations  of  the  schools  from  their  or- 
ganization in  1805,  to  September  30,  1832. 

"  The  first  school  among  the  Tuscaroras  was  taught  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Homes,  the  first  missionary.  This,  according  to  the  best 
information,  was  in  1805.  What  amount  has  been  expended, 
either  from  the  fund  of  the  society  or  by  the  Government,  to 
sustain  its  operation,  I  am  wholly  unable  to  state.  The  In- 
dians converted  their  Council  House  into  one  for  public  worship, 
and  also  one  for  school  operations,  until  1828,  when,  with  a 
little  assistance  from  abroad,  they  completed  a  convenient 
chapel,  28x38  feet,  for  public  worship.  In  1831  they  raised 
and  finished  a  frame  school-house  24  x  20  feet,  at  an  expense 
probably  of  $200.'  This  sum,  with  the  exception  of  $8,  the 
Indians  obtained  by  contributions  among  themselves. 

"  We  have  but  one  teacher,  whose  whole  time  is  engrossed 
in  the  concerns  of  the  school  .(Mrs.  Elliot  and  myself  are  occa- 
sionally employed).  Her  name  is  Elizabeth  Stone,  and  the 
compensation  she  receives  is  only  the  means  of  support,  the 
same  that  we  receive.  Ninety  scholars  have,, to  our  certain 
knowledge,  entered  the  school  since  its  commencement.  One 
of  the  number  is  the  principal  Chief  and  stated  interpreter, 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  14! 

who  can  communicate  in  three  languages.  Eighty  of  this 
number  have  attended  the  school  within  the  last  six  years. 
Sixty  have  left  with  the  prospect,  in  most  cases,  of  exerting 
a  happy  influence.  This  influence  is  the  result  of  a  belief  in, 
and  adherence  to,  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  Since  they 
have  embraced  the  principals  of  Christianity  in  full  their  pro- 
gress in  industry  and  temperance  has  been  strikingly  visible 
and  rapid.  But  few  of  the  number  now  sip  ardent  spirits — 
not  more  than  one  in  twenty. 

"  The  young  men  are  enterprising  ;  some  have  large,  conve- 
nient barns  and  comfortable  dwellings,  fine  fields  of  wheat, 
corn,  oats,  &c.  ;  others  are  beginning  to  plant  orchards  ;  they 
now  depend  on  the  cultivation  of  their  lands  for  a  livelihood." 

The  second  teacher  who  taught  the  school  among  the  Tus- 
caroras  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gray,  the  second  missionary, 
in  the  years  from  1808  to  1813,  and  was  then  followed  by  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  Mr.  Youngs.  These  were  the  first 
three  teachers  who  broke  in  and  shed  the  light  of  education 
upon  the  dark  minds  of  our  forefathers.  The  schools  were 
supported  by  the  missionary  societies  in  the  same  order  as  in 
the  different  transfers  that  were  made  concerning  the  support 
of  the  missionaries.  In  the  year  1858  was  the  last  transfer 
made  from  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Mission  to  the  State  of  New  York,  by  whom  they  are  now  sus- 
tained. There  were  many  changes  made  in  the  teachers,  all  of 
whose  names,  with  dates,  in  the  order  in  which  they  came,  I 
am  not  able  to  record  ;  but  I  will  record  such  names  as  I  have 
been  able  to  obtain  which  came  under  the  appointment  of 
missionary  teachers,  to  wit : 

Miss  Elizabeth  Stone,  from  1831  to  1837. 

Miss  Lucia  G.  Smith,  1836. 

*  Miss  Hannah  T.  Whitcomb,  from  Oct.  5,  1839,  to  Aug.  25, 
1849. 

Miss  Mary  J.  T.  Thayer,  from  1849  to  l%54- 

Miss  Cinderella  Britto,  from   1853  to  1854. 


142  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

?  '• 
'Miss  Abigail  Peck,  from  1853  to  1858. 

Assistant  teachers  not  having  regular  appointment. 
Miss  Emily  Parker,         1831. 
Burt,  1837. 

Nancy  Wood,         1856. 
Maria  Colton,          1857. 
"       Eleanor  B.  Lyon,  1857. 
Under  the  New  York  State  supervision  ; 
Miss  Abigail  Peck,  from  1858  to  1879. 
"       Mary  A.  Smith,  native. 
"       Robinson. 
"       Emily  Chew,  native, 
"       Pomeroy. 
"       Margaret  Eddy. 
"       Helen  Gansvort,  native. 
Mr.  William  Sage,  seven  winters. 

"     Philip  T.  Johnson,  native. 

In  the  year  of  1850  there  was  another  school  house  built  by 
the  natives  under  the  proposition  of  Miss  Mary  J.  F.  Thayer. 
I  have  here  a  brief  history  of  her  labors  among  the  Tuscaroras, 
from  her  own  writings,  which  is  very  interesting,  to  wit : 

MISS  M.  j.  F.  THAYER'S  LABORS  AS  A  MISSIONARY  TEACHER. 

At  the  invitation  of  Rev.  G.  Rockwood  (then  the  ordained 
missionary  at  Tuscarora)  Miss  M.  J.  F,  Thayer  commenced  her 
labors  among  the  Tuscaroras  as  teacher  on  April  30,  1849,  m 
the  old  school-house  opposite  Mr.  Rockwood's  house,  receiving 
from  the  American  Board  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  week, 
besides  her  board.  There  were  but  few  scholars,  and  these  were 
very  irregular  in  their  attendance.  Miss  T.  visited  the  parents 
and  tried  to  get  them  interested.  She  finally  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  time  and  money  were  thrown  away  on  that  little 
day  school,  and  drew  up  a  paper,  which  was  read  to  the  Tus- 
caroras at  their  New  Year's  feast,  January  i,  1850,  in  which 
she  detailed  her  plans  and  wishes,  asking  their  aid  in  executing 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  143 

them.  Their  response  was  cordial  and  hearty.  They  resolved 
to  build  a  new  school-house ;  the  site  was  selected  on  a  corner 
near  Isaac  Miller's,  and  the  people,  as  one  man,  went  to  work 
with  great  alacrity,  under  the  leadership  of  one  of  their  chiefs, 
Wm.  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  had,  before  the  next  New  Year's,  a 
snug  house,  18x24  feet,  well  finished,  furnished  with  two  stoves, 
and  a  large  pile  of  wood  prepared.  Miss  Thayer  commenced 
teaching  at  the  new  station  (which  she  was  pleased  to  call  Mt. 
Hope)  Jan.  14,  1851,  having  forty  scholars  the  first  day.  On 
Saturday,  Jan.  12,  before  school  began,  a  church  meeting  was 
held  at  the  new  station.  There  were  thirty  persons  present, 
and  they  voted  to  hold  prayer  meetings  there  every  Wednes- 
day evening. 

Feb.  20  Miss  T.  wrote — •'  Fifty  is  the  average  attendance  at 
school.  Scholars  happy  and  bright  and  very  eager  to  learn 
Nearly  every  one  has  bought  a  new  spelling  book.  The 
prayer  meetings  are  well  attended  ;  Sabbath  evenings  there  are 
fifty  present,  Wednesdays,  thirty.  They  conduct  these  meet- 
ings without  their  pastor,  usually.  Christians  are  being  revived  ; 
there  is  an  increasing  spirit  of  prayer ;  the  women  have  begun 
to  pray ;  we  had  a  precious  meeting  last  Sabbath  evening." 

In  March  there  was  a  great  deal  of  sickness  (typhoid  fever), 
of  which  several  died.  The  school  was  interrupted  for  a  few 
days. 

May  2,  she  wrote — "  My  school  flourishes.  It  is  difficult  to 
say  which  seem  the  happier,  the  children  or  their  teacher.  I 
have  five  little  girls  boarding  with  me.  As  the  '  boarding 
school  fund'  is  exhausted,  I  am  obliged  to  meet  all  the  expenses 
from  my  own  allowance"  It  might  be  stated  that  Miss  Thayer 
never  received  a  "  formal  appointment"  from  the  American 
Board,  because  her  health  was  so  poor,  but  she  was  employed 
and  paid  by  them.  After  she  went  to  the  new  schoolhou.se 
they  paid  her  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a  year,  and  she 
found  everything.  By  "  boarding  school  fund"  is  meant  money 
received  by  Miss  Thayer  from  friends  of  hers  who  were  inter- 


144  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

ested  in  her  work  and  sent  her,  from  time  to  time,  small  sums 
of  money  and  sometimes  articles  of  food  and  clothing  for  the 
children,  deficiencies  she  met  from  her  own  allowance. 

Thus  the  work  went  on.  Several  children  were  anxious  to 
become  inmates  of  the  teacher's  family.  Celia  Green,  Eliza- 
beth Cusick,  Ann  and  Mary  Henry,  Susan  Patterson  and  Sarah 
Mt.  Pleasant  were  the  favored  ones. 

Sept.  10,  1851,  Miss  T.  wrote — ".  My  school  is  small  now, 
owing  to  the  prevalence  of  the  measles.  The  little  girls  living 
with  me  being  attacked,  their  mothers  have  taken  them  home," 
Under  the  same  date  adds — "  Two  weeks  ago  I  passed  a  sleep- 
less night,  contemplating  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  young 
people  here,  agonizing  and  with  tears  wrestling  in  prayer  for 
them.  Last  week  I  learned  that  three  young  women  had  de- 
cided to  forsake  there  evil  ways,  repenting  of  their  sins,  and 
looking  to  Jesus  for  salvation.  Two  of  them  came  forward  at 
the  church,  meeting  last  Saturday,  and  'offered  themselves  as 
candidates  for  admission  to  the  church.  One  of  the  young 
women  stayed  with  me  last  Sabbath  night  (this  was  Louisa 
Henry).  She  gives  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart.  May  many 
more  be  led  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth." 

Writing  again  to  her  father,  (these  extracts  are  all  from  let- 
ters to  her  father),  Dec.  8,  1851 — "  It  would  do  your  heart  good 
to  look  in  upon  my  little  family — my  little  ones  so  confiding, 
affectionate  and  happy.  My  heart  has  again  been  made  glad 
by  the  conversion  of  one. of  my  older  pupils,  an  interesting 
youth  of  seventeen.  He  and  the  two  young  women  mention- 
ed in  a  former  letter  united  with  the  Church  at  our  last  com- 
munion, I  wept  for  joy  at  these  tokens  of  the  presence  of  a 
prayer-answering  God." 

Jan.  i,  1852 — "Attended  the  New  Years'  feast  to-day.  Told 
the  people  of  my  plans  for  building  an  addition  to  the  school- 
house,  so  that  I  might  take  more  children  into  my  family. 
They  adjourned  to  the  Council-house,  and  will  talk  over  my 
propositions  there  this  evening." 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  145 

Jan.  3 — "  The  church  meeting  to-day  was  very  interesting. 
Five  young  women  offered  themselves  to  the  church,  were  ex- 
amined and  accepted.  Most  of  them  state  that  they  found  the 
Saviour  last  summer.  As  near  as  I  can  learn  from  their  state- 
ments it  was  at  the  very  time  when  I  was  so  exercised  in  their 
behalf.  For  some  time  I  agonized  in  prayer  ;  then  I  became 
calm,  and  felt  assured  that  my  prayer  was  heard  and  would  be 
granted." 

Jan.  4,  Sabbath — "  An  interesting  day.  Never  saw  so  many 
of  the  Tuscaroras  present  at  a  religious  meeting.  Some  one 
who  counted  them  stated  that  there  were  nearly  one  hundred 
and  forty,  and  all  seemed  serious  and  attentive.  Bro.  B.'s  dis- 
course in  the  forenoon  was  full  of  instruction  to  the  young 
converts.  In  the  afternoon  the  young  women  examined  yes- 
terday were  received  into  the  Church.  Eight  children  were 
baptized,  and  the  sacrament  administered.  In  the  evening  I 
repaired  to  the  council  house,  where  the  sacrament  was  again 
administered,  on  account  of  an  aged  sister,  nearly  one  hundred 
years  old,  too  infirm  to  go  to  the  meeting-house." 

Jan.  5 — "  Commenced  school  to-day  with  twenty-five  schol- 
ars ;  have  seven  girls  fboarding  with  me  ;  my  little  house  is  too 
small,  but  I  hope  soon  to  enlarge  it;  as  the  Tuscaroras  give  en- 
couragement that  they  will  take  hold  and  help  about  building. 
They  hold  another  council  to-day  to  make  necessary  arrange- 
ments." 

Jan.  6 — "  A  committee  of  chiefs  called  on  me  this  rnt>rning, 
and  advised  me  to  accept  the  thirty  dollars  offered  by  Mr.  E. 
S.  Ely,  of  Checktowga  ;  it  would  be  needed  to  purchase  the 
fine  lumber,  which  they  can  buy  cheaper  in  Canada  than  in  the 
States.  To-morrow  they  will  turn  out  with  their  teams  and 
draw  logs  to  mill  for  the  coarse  lumber,  and  next  week  they 
will  go  to  Canada  for  the  fine  lumber,  which  Mr.  Mt.  Pleasant 
will  prepare.  -When  all  things  are  ready  they  will  frame  the 
building,  enclose  and  shingle  it." 

Jan.  12,  1852 — "  Louisa  Henry,  who  seems  to  be  in  the  last 
(18) 


146  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

stages  of  consumption,  has  been  with  me  since  New  Year's ; 
is  failing  fast  ;  told  me  when  she  came  that  she  expected  to 
die  soon,  and  wished  to  spend  her  last  days  with  me  ;  does  not 
fear  death  ;  takes  great  delight  in  prayer  and  reading  the  Bible  ; 
the  23d  Psalm  is  her  favorite  portion." 

Jan.  14 — At  an  inquiry  meeting  this  evening,  as  Bro.  R.  was 
absent,  I  conversed  with  those  who  came  ;  explained^the  para- 
ble of  '  The  Prodigal  Son/  making  personal  application  ;  three 
young  persons  requested  prayers ;  one  was  only  '  almost  per- 
suaded ;'  the  other  two  expressed  their  determination  to  begin 
a  new  life  at  once ;  invited  Elias  Johnson  and  his  brother 
James  to^stop  after  school  for  a  season  of  prayer ;  they~were 
both  rejoicing  in  their  newly-found  Savior,  and  poured  out 
their  souls  in  fervent  prayer ;  my  soul  is  filled  with  joy." 

Jan.  19 — "  Feel  quite  worn  out ;  thought  Louisa  dying ; 
watched  with  her  all  night ;  sent  for  her  aunt,  who  will  watch 
with  her  to-night." 

Jan.  21 — "  Bro.  R.  called;  decided  to  send  the  little  ones 
home ;  close  school  for  a  few  days,  and  take  Louisa  to  the 
mission  house." 

Jan.  25 — "  Louisa's  aunt  took  her  home  at  the  instance  of 
the  Chiefs,  who  did  not  like  to  have  the  school  interrupted." 

Jan.  26 — "  Louisa  died  to-day ;  her  sufferings  are  over  ;  her 
happy  spirit  is  doubtless  with  the  ransomed  above." 
Jan.  27 — "  Attended  L's  funeral." 

Jar?.  28 — "  Returned  to  the  school-house,  where  we  had  an 
inquiry  meeting  in  the  evening  ;  about  fifty  present,  of  whom 
one-half  seem  seriously  inquiring  the  way  to  be  saved ;  I  con- 
versed with  the  females ;  found  five  indulging  a  hope  ;  others 
greatly  distressed  on  account  of  their  sins.^Within  a  few 
months  there  have  been  twenty^hopeful  conversions." 

Jan.  31 — "  Met  the  sisters  according  to  appointment  ;  there 
was  some  earnest  wrestling  with  God  ;  had  conversation  with 
one  who,  for  many  years,  has  been  a  backslider,  but  thinks  she 
has  now  returned  to  God," 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  147 

Feb.  4 — "  At  the  inquiry  meeting  many  were  present ;  sev- 
eral indulging  a  hope  ;  deep  feeling,  but  no  excitement." 

Feb.  7 — "  At  the  church  meeting  thirty-two  candidates  were 
examined  for  admission  to  the  church/' 

Feb.  8 — "  Sabbath ;  ninety  Tuscaroras  in  attendance  upon 
divine  services  ;  a  most  solemn  assembly." 

Feb.  12 — "An  interesting  young  converts' prayer-meeting." 

Feb.  13 — "  My  children  all  have  the  whooping  cough." 

Feb.  14 — "  Detained  from  church  meeting  by  the  sick  child- 
ren." 

Feb.  15 — "Sabbath;  detained  from  church;  though  I  am 
much  confined  by  home  duties,  the  work  of  the  Lord  prospers  ; 
Bro.  R.  is  very  faithful,  and  the  Lord  crowns  his  labors  with 
great  success.  He  now  numbers  fifty  new  converts  ;  has  united 
several  couple  in  lawful  marriage  ;  many  drunkards  seem  to  be 
reclaimed  ;  twelve  of  my  Bible-class  have  found  the  Savior ; 
so  have  three  of  the  little  girls  that  have  boarded  with  me  and 
ten  of  my  day  scholars." 

Feb.  17 — "  I  was  afraid  that  1  should  have  to  stop  teaching 
and  devote  myself  to  the  care  of  my  sick  children,  but  their 
friends  took  them  home  last  Saturday  ;  it  seemed  lonesome 
without  them,  but  little  Elizabeth,  who  seems  to  love  me  with 
all  her  little  heart,  cried  so  much  to  come  back  that  they  could 
not  keep  her  at  home  ;  she  is  with  me  now  and  seems  quite 
happy.  Have  written  to  Secretary  Treat,  urging  that  Bro. 
Rockwaod  be  permitted  to  remain  here ;  none  could  be  more 
active  and  efficient  than  he  now  is." 

Feb.  24 — "  So  many  children  have  the  whooping-cough  that 
but  few  attend  school.  I,  also,  have  a  most  troublesome 
cough,  and  find  it  difficult  to  teach ;  should  have  to  give. up  if 
my  school  was  very  large,  as  I  have  fits  of  coughing  just  like 
the  whooping-cough." 

March  4 — "  My  brother  in  Buffalo  sent  the  sash  and  doors 
for  my  boarding-house  ;  the  building  is  going  forward.  Miss 
Howe  writes  that  she  will  come  to  my  assistance  if  I  need  her." 


I4  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

March  7 — "Communion  season — forty  additions  to  the 
church.  The  old  man  of  seventy  and  the  youth  of  fourteen 
bowed  together  to  receive  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  A  scene 
that  angels  might  rejoice  to  behold." 

March  8 — "  Have  written  to  Miss  Howe  to  come  on,  my 
health  being  very  poor.  Have  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  a 
few  weeks,  or  months,  if  I  should  find  it  expedient  to  go  on 
to  New  York  to  Dr.  Nichols'  Medical  Institute." 

March  1 1 — "  Several  calls  from  my  Tuscarora  friends.  They 
are  very  loth  to  have  me  leave,  even  for  a  short  time,  and  it  is 
a  sore  trial  for  me." 

March  13 — "Arrived  at  my  father's  in  Lancaster,  N.  Y." 

March  18 — "  Wrote  in  my  journal,  '  still  at  my  father's,'  but 
thinking  continually  of  my  dear  Tuscarora  children.  May  I 
soon  be  restored  to  them,  invigorated  both  in  body  and  mind." 

March  23 — "  Quite  unwell ;  cannot  tell  how  long  I  shall  have 
to  stay  away  from  my  school." 

April  26 — "  Left  Lancaster  for  Tuscarora," 

Mt.  Hope,  Tuscarora,  April*  28,  1852 — "Once  more  in  my 
own  sweet  home,  greeted  by  the  sparkling  eyes  and  smiling 
faces  of  my  dear  children.  Found  Miss  Howe  nearly  worn 
out  and  glad  to  be  relieved. 

There  have  been  several  deaths  during  my  absence — some 
among  my  scholars.  Several  calls  this  evening  from  my  adopt- 
ed people,  who  seem  so  glad  to  see  me." 

April  29 — "  Resumed  my  duties  in  the  school-room." 

May  I — Sabbath — "  Rising  early  went  on  foot  with  my  lit- 
tle girls,  thoughj:he  road  was  muddy,  reached  the  meeting 
house  before  9  A.  M.,  in  time  for  Sunday-school  ;  sacrament 
in  the  afternoon.  Five  received  into  the  church — three  of 
them  my  scholars.  So  thankful  to  be  once  more  with  my  be- 
loved Tuscaroras." 

May  1 8 — "  Have  had  to  relinquish  my  school  again  to  Miss 
Howe,  I  am  too  feeble  for  school  duties." 

June  22 — "A  week  ago  yesterday  almost  the  whole  nation 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  149 

turned  out  to  help  at  the  "  raising."  The  excitement  of  the 
day  was  so  great  that  I  could  sleep  but  little  that  night  ;  so 
happy !  The  Lord  be  praised.  How  mountains  of  difficulties 
have  vanished.  The  Tuscaroras  are  doing  nobly  ;  but,  besides 
their  work,  to  finish  and  furnish  all  will  require  about  four  hun- 
dred dollars ;  this  will  take  all  my  funds,  but  when  I  need 
more,  I  know  that  the  Lord  will  provide.  Have  already  ex- 
pended nearly  one  hundred  dollars,  yet,  I  trust  there  will  be 
no  lack.  Donations  are  coming  in  from  various  quarters." 

July  23 — "  How  different  my  labors  this  summer  from  those 
of  last  winter.  Unable  to  teach,  have  given  my  school  to 
another ;  nor,  am  I  able  to  visit  much  among  the  people.  Oc- 
cupy my  time  chiefly  in  taking  care  of  my  little  girls,  teaching 
them  to  sew,  and  preparing  bedding  for  my  contemplated 
boarding  school ;  thankful  that  I  may  do  a  little,  though  I  long 
to  do  more." 

Sept.  3 — "  Being  unable  to  teach,  and  thinking  that  I  might 
do  more  good  here,  if  ever,  to  study  medicine,  having  consult- 
ed my  friends  and  Mr.  Treat,  I  shall  go  to  Philadelphia  to  at- 
tend medical  lectures.  Have  bade  adieu  to  my  humble  home, 
not  to  return  before  next  February." 

Miss  Thayer  returned  from  Philadelphia  in  February,  1853. 
Miss  Mary  Walker  had  taught  the  school  during  her  absence. 
Shortly  after  her  return  to  Mt.  Hope,  Miss  Abigail  Peck  and 
Miss  Cinderella  Britto  arrived,  the  former  to  teach  school,  the 
latter  to  assist  in  housework,  Miss  Thayer  to  have  general  su- 
pervision as  matron  of  the  boarding  school.  The  American 
Board  doubled  their  appropriation,  so  that  each  one  of  the  la- 
dies were  to  receive  one  hundred  dollars  a  year,  and  find  their 
own  board.  Miss  Thayer  taking  it  upon  herself  to  meet  the 
other  expenses  of  the  school.  Timely  donations  in  money 
were  received  from  Philadelphia,  Brooklyn  and  New  York,  and 
various  small  sums ;  also  boxes  of  clothing  and  some  provision 
from  friends  in  neighboring  towns. 

March  23 — Miss  Thayer  writes :     "Have  received  one  hun- 


150  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

dred  dollars  from  the  Sunday  school  in  Mr.  Barnes'  church,  for 
my  building ;  have  hired  two  carpenters  to  do  the  inside  work, 
it  having  been  framed,  shingled,  enclosed,  and  most  of  the 
lathing  done  by  the  Tuscaroras.  My  health  is  failing  again 
and  my  mind  much  racked  with  planning,  as  my  associates 
each  want  a  separate  room  for  their  own  private  use,  I  have 
been  obliged  to  vary  from  my  original  plan  so  as  to  secure 
pleasant  rooms  for  them  with  chimneys  for  stoves." 

May  7 — "  The  building  goes  forward  rather  slowly,  and  my 
associates  are  becoming  somewhat  impatient  on  account  of  the 
delay ;  yet  we  shall  have  a  better  finished  and  more  commodi- 
ous house  than  I  had  at  first  planned.  Though  very  much 
worn  both  in  body  and  mind,  I  do  not  regret  having  undertak- 
en the  work.  Am  more  and  more  convinced  that  the  only 
hope  for  the  moral  and  physical  well-being  of  the  Tuscaroras> 
is  to  train  up  the  children  in  the  way  they  should  go.  The 
work  is  begun,  and  the  Lord  is  able  to  carry  it  forward,  either 
with  or  without  me." 

Miss  Thayer's  health  continued  poor  and  she  took  a  vacation 
of  four  weeks,  in  the  summer,  leaving  her  associates  in  charge. 
Then  wrote  to  Mr.  Treat  that  she  should  be  obliged  to  give  up 
the  management  of  financial  affairs,  and  asking  them  to  assume 
the  responsibility. 

To  confer  with  him  on  the  subject,  Mr.  Treat  requested  Mr. 
Rockwood,  Miss  Thayer  and  her  associates  to  meet  him  in 
Buffalo,  where  he  would  stop  on  his  way  to  the  meeting  of  the 
American  Board  at  Cincinnati.  The  result  of  the  conference : 
The  boarding  school  was  transferred  to  the  immediate  care  of 
the  Board,  with  Mr.  Rockwood  as  Superintendent ;  the  ladies 
to  retain  their  respective  positions — teacher,  house-keeper  and 
matron.  From  this  time  Miss  Thayer  felt  greatly  fettered, 
and  the  impression  grew  upon  her  that  her  presence  was  not 
desired  at  Mt.  Hope ;  that  her  usefulness  there  was  at  an  end. 
Long  and  prayerfully  did  she  weigh  the  matter,  and  at  last, 
though  it  nearly  broke  her  heart,  she  asked  to  be- dismissed 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX   NATIONS.  151 

from  the  field.  Her  request  was  granted,  and  Miss  Thayer 
closed  her  labors  at  Mt.  Hope,  December  31,  1853,  and  longed 
to  die.  It  was  the  saddest  day  of  her  life,  the  bitterest  trial 
she  ever  experienced,  this  giving  up  all  her  hopes  of  useful- 
ness among  her  beloved  Tuscaroras.  She  knew  not  whither 
to  go ;  could  not  tell  the  people  what  she  had  done. 

Samuel  Jacobs  was  going  to  Cattaraugus,  and  Miss  Thayer 
went  with  him,  hoping  the  Lord  would  give  her  work  to  do 
there.  Engaged  temporarily  in  teaching,  was  there  until 
the  latter  part  of  July,  1854;  in  August  applied  to  the  Pres- 
byterian Board  for  an  appointment  as  missionary  teacher  for 
one  of  their  schools  among  the  Southwestern  Indians,  which 
was  granted,  and  she  was  sent  to  the  Chickasaws,  in  the  Indian 
Territory ;  arrived  there  in  November,  1854 ;  labored  among 
the  Chickasaws,  Creeks  and  Choctaws  until  September,  1865, 
when  again  broken  down  in  health,  she  reluctantly  gave  up 
the  work  of  a  missionary  teacher,  and  returned  to  her  father's 
house  in  Bristol,  Wis.,  accompanied  by  her  husband,  (Theo- 
dore Jones),  and  her  three  young  children  (tw©  sons  and  a 
daughter).  She  has  since  resided  in  Bristol,  Wis.,  on  the  farm 
given  to  her  by  her  father  and  brothers,  a  quiet,  pleasant  home. 
Her  children  are  growing  up  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  having 
all  of  them,  five  years  ago,  (in  April,  1873),  united  with  the 
Congregational  church  in  Bristol.  Although  she  has  not  the 
means  to  give  them  a  liberal  education,  she  hopes  that  they 
will  be  useful  workers  in  the  Lord's  vineyard. 

Mrs.  Jones  often  thinks  of  her  beloved  Tuscaroras,  and 
would  gladly  visit  them  if  it  were  not  for  the  expense  of  such 
a  journey. 

Mrs.  Jones  has  culled  the  material  for  the  foregoing  pages 
from  numerous  letters  written  to  her  father,  from  Tuscarora, 
and  also  made  extracts  from  her  private  journal,  kept  whilst  at 
Tuscarora,  and  she  gives  Elias  Johnson  leave  to  embody  such 
portions  of  it  in  his  history  of  the  Tuscaroras  as  shall  best 
suit  his  purpose.  She  sends  herewith  Mr.  Treat's  reply  to  her 


152  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

request  to  be  released  from  the  work  at  Mt.  Hope;  also  a  let- 
ter written  by  the  Tuscarora  chiefs,  representing  her  departure 

from  their  people." 

"MRS.  MARY  J.  F.  JONES, 

February  22,  1878.  Bristol,  Wis." 

To  ELIAS  JOHNSON,  Tuscarora, 


Temperance  Society. 


About  the  year  1800,  a  new  religion  was  introduced  among 
the  Six  Nations,  who  alleged  to  have  received  a  revelation 
from  the  Great  Spirit,  with  a  commission  to  preach  to  them 
the  new  doctrine  in  which  he  was  instructed. 

This  revelation  was  received  in  circumstances  so  remarkable 
and  the  precepts  which  he  sought  to  inculcate,  contained  in 
themselves  such  evidences  of  wisdom  and  beneficence,  that  he 
was  universally  received  among  them,  not  only  as  a  wise  and 
good  man,  but  as  one  commissioned  by  the  Great  Spirit  to  be- 
come their  religious  teacher,  by  the  name  of  Ga-nc-o-di-yo,  or 
"  Handsomelake."  This  new  religion,  as  it  has  ever  since  been 
called,  with  all  the  ancient  and  new  doctrines,  was  also  taught, 
strenuously,  the  doctrine  of  Temperance,  which  seemed  to  be 
the  main  and  ultimate  object  of  his  mission,  and  upon  which 
he  chiefly  used  his  influence  and  eloquence  through  the  re- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  153 

mainder  of  his  life.  He  went  from  village  to  village,  among 
the  several  nations  of  the  Iroquois,  and  continuing  his  visits 
from  year  to  year,  preaching  the  new  doctrine  with  remarkable 
effect ;  many  abandoned  their  dissolute  hctbits  and  became 
sober  and  moral  men. 

The  wholesome  doctrine  of  sobriety  was  not  preached  in 
vain,  even  among  the  Tuscaroras ;  nevertheless,  they  did  not 
embrace  the  ancient  and  the  new  faith,  nor  its  ceremonies, 
but  the  'preaching  of  this  singular  person.  The  influ- 
ence of  his  eloquence,  with  which  he  enforced  the  doctrine 
of  temperance,  had  the  effect  of  forming  a  temperance  society, 
which  was  kept  up  a  number  of  years,  by  holding  meetings 
and  by  lectures  given  by  the  leading  men  of  the  nation,  until 
the  year  1830,  when  a  regular  temperance  society  was  organiz- 
ed, which  was  based  on  a  written  constitution  ;  and  in  the  year 
1832  there  was  a  general  temperance  society  formed  at  the 
Cattaraugus  Reservation,  embracing  all  the,  then,  different 
Seneca  Reservations  ;  and  in  the  year  1833  the  Tuscaroras  re- 
organized so  as  to  be  connected  with  the  Seneca  temperance 
society,  organized  at  Cattaraugus.  I  found  the  following  ar- 
ticles in  the  records  of  the  Tuscarora  temperance  society, 
to-wit  : 

"  Temperance  Society,  formed  among  the  Tuscaroras,  Feb- 
ruary iQth,  1830,  re-organized  January  2/th,  1833. 

"PREAMBLE. 

"  Whereas,  Present  and  past  occurrences  clearly  prove  that 
intemperance  is  a  great  and  destructive  evil  ;  therefore,  Resolv- 
ed, That  we,  the  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  Tuscarora  Nation, 
will  do  all  in  our  power  to  arrest  its  progress,  both  in  this  vil- 
lage and  elsewhere." 

Experience  has  taught  us  that  efforts  to  advance  this  good 
cause  are  not  in  vain,  encouraged  by  what  we  have  already  ef- 
fected, we  have  concluded  to  re-organize  our  society,  which 
shall  be  named  and  governed  as  follows : — 

(19) 


154  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

"  CONSTITUTION. 

"Article  i.  This  society  shall  be  denominated  the  Temper- 
ance Society  auxiliary  to  the  general  Temperance  Society 
formed  at  Cattarftugus,  March  1st,  1832,  by  our  red  brothers 
from  five  different  Reservations. 

Article  2.  It  shall  embrace  individuals  of  both  sexes  of 
men,  women  and  children. 

Article  3$  We  who  sign  our  names  to  this  constitution, 
solemnly  pledge  ourselves  to  abstain  entirely  from  the  use  of 
intoxicating  liquors,  and  persuade  others  in  an  affectionate, 
faithful  manner  to  do  the  same,  not  suffering  it  to  be  used  in 
our  families,  nor  purchasing  it  for  those  in  our  employ. 

Article  4.     It  shall  be  the  duty  of  those  who  were  appointed 
a  committee  by  the  general  Temperance  Society  to  visit  the 
members  of    this  Society  individually,  and  enquire  whether 
they  adhere  to  or  strictly  obey  the  articles  of  the  constitution, 
and  converse  with  others  on  the  subject  of  temperance,  so  far 
as  practicable,  and  make  a  report  of  their  doings  to  the  Society. 
Article  5.     The  officers  of  this  Society  shall  be  a  President, 
Vice-President,    Secretary  and   Treasurer.     The  duty  of   the 
President  shall  be  as  follows,  viz :     To  open  the  meetings  by 
calling  the  assembly  to  order;  to  appoint  the  time  for  meet- 
ing ;  to  settle  questions  in  any  discussions  made  in  the  Society ; 
to  appoint  the  speakers.     The  duty  of  the  Secretary  shall  be 
to  minute  the  proceedings   of   every  meeting,  and  read    the 
report  at  the  close  of  every  meeting,  and  to  keep  in  record  the 
names  of  the  members  of  the  Society.     The  Treasurer  shall 
keep  in  charge  the  revenues  of  the  contributions,  and  attend 
to  the  lights." 

Names  of  the  first  officers  of  this  Society : 
President — Nicholas  Cusick. 
Vice-President—William  Mt.  Pleasant. 
Secretary  and  Treasurer — James  N.  Cusick. 
Names  of  Chiefs  at  that  time : 
William  Chew,  William  Printup, 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  155 

Jonathan  Printup,  Mathew  Jack, 

John  Mt.  Pleasant,  John  Johnson, 

John  Fox,  George  Printup, 

Isaa  Miller. 

This  united  Temperance  Society  held  a  yearly  convention 
on  the  different  Reservations,  alternately,  for  a  number  of 
years,  but  the  interest  in  the  convention  gradually  declined, 
until  the  convention  was  entirely  given  up.  Afterwards  they 
somewhat  remodeled  the  constitution  to  suit  their  circum- 
stances, and  added  the  following  article,  viz : 

"  In  the  temperance  assemblies  the  following  subjects  are  to 
be  lectured  on  :  Temperance,  Industry,  Education  and  Moral 
Reform." 

We  have  also  a  cornet  band,  which  is  connected  with  the 
temperance  society,  which  enliven  and  cheer  the  meetings  by 
the  sweet  strains  of  their  music,  and  adds  very  much  to  the 
interest  of  each  meeting.  This  band  goes  by  the  name  of  the 
"  Tuscarora  Temperance  Cornet  Band."  It  was  organized  in 
the  year  1842,  and  has  existed  continually  to  the  present 
time,  in  1880. 

-On  the  nth  day  of  November,  1844,  there  was  a  delegation 
sent  here  by  the  Tuscaroras,  from  Grand  River,  then  Canada 
West,  now  Ontario,  to  connect  themselves  with  our  temper- 
ance society,  which  was  granted  them,  and  the  following  dele- 
gates were  admitted,  viz  :  William  Green,  a  Sachem  ;  David 
Hill,  Jacob  Hill,  Rev.  Nicholas  Smith  and  Thomas  Thomas. 

This  society  was  afterwards  invited  to  hold  a  temperance 
meeting  on  the  Tuscarora  Reservation  at  Grand  River,  Ontario, 
with  the  view  of  organizing  a  temperance  society  in  conjunc- 
tion to  ours.  The  meeting  was  held  according  to  the  time 
designated.  The  meetings  were  opened  and  conducted  with 
much  interest,  but  dissolved  without  the  formation  of  a  society. 
There  was  a  disagreement  concerning  the  constitution  of  the 
society,  respecting  the  subjects  of  discussion  in  the  meetings 
of  the  society.  The  Canada  Indians  wished  to  have  the  three 


I$6  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND.  LAWS 

other  subjects,  from  that  of  temperance,  to  be  stricken  out, 
but  the  Tuscaroras  of  the  States  adhered  to  the  forms  of  the 
constitution  of  their  society,  which  includes  Industry,  Educa- 
tion and  Moral  Reform,  as  the  subject  of  lecture  of  each  meet- 
ing, which  was  adopted  at  an  early  period. 

In  the  autumn  of  1862,  the  cornet  band  and  a  number  of 
the  members  of  the  society  made  a  visit  to  Grand  River, 
Ontario,  among  their  Indian  brethren,  and  when  they  arrived 
there  the  Sons  of  Temperance  had  a  social  party,  to  which  we 
were  very  cordially  invited  to  participate  of  the  sumptous 
feast,  which  was  already  prepared,  and  were  two  days  devoted 
to  temperance  meetings.  The  time  was  taken  up  by  lectures 
on  temperance  and  music  by  the  two  cornet  bands,  which 
played  their  music  alternately,  and  added  very  much  to  the 
interest  of  the  meetings.  The  speeches  were  interspersed 
with  the  rehearsals  of  the  different  traditions  of  the  causes  of 
the  declension  of  the  Indian  nations,  and  regretting  the  slow- 
ness of  the  progress  of  their  civilization,  and  attribute  to  temper- 
ance^ to  be  the  great  cause  of  the  retard  of  their  advancement 
in  industry  and  civilization. 

They  were  invited  several  times  by  these,  our  Canada  red 
brothers,  to  their  Sons  of  Temperance  conventions  at  Grand 
River,  of  which  they  faithfully  attended,  and  they  were  also 
invited  at  one  of  their  conventions  held  at  Monseetown,  near 
London,  Ontario,  on  the  reservation  of  the  Oneidas ;  our  cor- 
net band  and  quite  a  number  of  the  members  of  our  society 
complied  to  the  invitation.  •  The  meetings  were  very  interest- 
ing. There  were  many  speeches  made  on  the  subject  of  tem- 
perance, and  on  various  topics  for  the  advancement  of  the 
respective  Indian  nations.  A  speech  was  also  made  by  the 
author  of  this  book,  which  began  as  follows,  to-wit  : 

"  My  dear  friends  and  relatives,  I  Have  been  interested  in  the 
great  and  good  cause  of  temperance  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  have  attended  many  meetings  and  assemblies  in  the  tem- 
perance cause,  but  this,  our  present  gathering,  is  to  me,  unus- 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  157 

ually  interesting ;  it  brings  my  mind  back  for  more  than  a  cen- 
tury, when  the  Tuscaroras  were  broken  down,  as  a  nation,  by 
the  pale  faces,  arid  expelled  from  their  long-cherished  homes, 
and  driven  from  the  graves  of  our  noble  ancestors,  into  the 
wild  and  cold-hearted  world  ;  and  when  they  were  without  a 
friend  and  without  a  home,  and  no  one  to  pity  them,  in  this, 
their  time  of  trouble.  You,  the  Oneidas,  gave  us  the  hand  of 
friendship  and  brotherly  love,  and  gave  us  peaceful  homes 
within  your  wide  extended  domain,  and  whispered  in  our  ears 
the  words  of  consolation  ;  when,  and  how  shall  we  ever  forget 
or  repay  you  for  the  unbounded  kindness  that  your  fathers  ex- 
ercised towards  ours  ?  We  have  ever  given  you  a  place  near- 
est our  hearts,  with  all  its  affections,  here  we  give  you  our 
hands  and  our  hearts  in  the  great  and  good  cause  of  temper- 
ance, and  we  wish  you  prosperity  in  every  sense  of  the  w'ord- 
.both  temporally  and  morally." 

This  convention  was  denominated  the  Six  Nations  Sons  of 
Temperance  Convention,. although  we,  from  the  States  were 
not  members  of  that  order.  It  seems  that  they  deemed  it  not 
derogatory  to  their  dignity  that  we.  should  be  present  at  their 
conventions,  although  ours  is  a  common,  open  and  free  .temp- 
erance society. 

We,  also,  invited  them  to  hold  their  convention  on  our  res- 
ervation, which  was  acceded  to  and  held  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
and  there  were  delegates  of  several  Oneidas,  from-Monseetown, 
Ontario,  and  of  the  Tuscaroras,  from  Grand  River,  Ontario, 
and  also  a  cornet  band  of  .the  Onondagas,  from  Onondaga,  Cas- 
tle, N.  Y.,  which  favored  us  with  the  sweet  strains  of  their 
music,  alternately,  with  our  cornet  band. 

Every  morning  the  assembly  would  meet  at  the  school-house, 
Mt.  Hope,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  there  form  in  procession 
and  march  to  the  council-house,  about  one  mile,  to  the  place 
of  meeting  ;  the  two  cornet  bancls;  played  their  music  while 
the  procession  was  moving,  and  our  temperance  banners  \\cix 
floating  in  the  air,  as  if  to  say,  rally  round  the  'temperance 
banner. 


158  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

Our  temperance  banner  was  made  in  the  year  1844,  by  our 
people,  assisted  by,  then,  our  Missionery,  Rev.  G.  Rockwood. 
It  is  illustrated  by  several  animals  illustrative  of  the  several 
clans  that  are  in  the  nation ;  and  also,  six  stars  that  are  group- 
ed in  the  upper  corner  of  the  banner,  next  to  the  pole,  indica- 
ative,  as  in  the  animals,  of  the  several  clans,  that  they,  aught, 
also,  group  together  and  combine  as  in  one,  to  work  against 
the  great  monster,  intemperance,  which  is  also  illustrated  by  a 
seven-headed  serpent.  As  this  monster  is  formidable,  so  aught 
we  abstain  from  all  intoxicating  liquors.  There  is  also,  a  great 
eagle  soaring  in  the  air,  in  the  act  of  grasping  the  great  seven- 
headed  serpent.  This  illustrates  that  in  our  endeavers  in  the 
capacity  of  a  society,  to  defeat  the  great  monster — intemper- 
ance— we  have  a  helper,  which  is  the  Legislature  of  the  State 
of  New  York  and  the  United  States,  in  enacting  laws  to  the 
effect  of  staying  the  great  tide  of  intemperance  among  the  In- 
dians, in  which  we  should  take  courage. 

There  was  another  convention  held  here  in  1873,  when  there 
was  quite  a  large  delegation  of  the  Oneidas,  from  Monseetown, 
Ontario,  and  also  from  Grand  River,  Ontario,  among  them  was 
the  Tuscarora  cornet  band  of  Grand  River.  The  meetings 
were  occupied  by  lectures  on  temperance  and  on  other  topics, 
which  were  thought  to  be  the  most  needed  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  social  and  moral  conditions  of  our  red  brethren. 

The  Grand  River  cornet  band,  and  ours,  played,  alternately, 
their  angelic  melodies,  to  cheer  us  in  the  great  temperance 
cause.  It  was  then  the  convention  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance 
urged  upon  us  to  adopt  their  Order,  but  our  people  thought 
it  not  advisable  to  change  the  order  of  our  society,  as  it  has 
existed  since  the  year  1830;  the  form  maybe  different,  but 
the  object  is  the  same.  We  said  we  preferred  to  adhere  to  the 
old  form  of  our  society,  open  to  all,  and  free  to  partake  of  the 
benefits  of  it ;  we  prayed  them  God's  speed  in  their  turning 
the  great  wheel  of  temperance,  and  we  should  lay  hold  on  the 
same  wheel  and  turn  the  same  way.  That  same  night  the  con- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR  SIX   NATIONS.  1 59 

vention  closed.  There  was  a  great  bonfire  made  in  the  street ; 
and  then  there  was  a  general  farewell,  hand-shaking,  and  it 
closed  with  music  from  the  bands  in  the  dead  of  the  night. 

The  next  convention  was  held  at  Grand  River,  Ontario,  in 
October,  1874,  in  the  Six  Nation  council-house.  There  was 
quite  a  large  representation  of  the  Six  Nations.  Speeches 
were  made  on  the  subject  of  temperance  by  all  the  different 
nations,  to-wit : 

Mr.  Josiah  Hill,  Sachem,  of  Grand  River,  Tuscarora. 
Mr.  David  Hill,         "  "  Seneca. 

Mr.  Levi  Jonathan,  "  "  Onondaga. 

Mr.  Clinch,  "  "  Mohawk. 

Mr.  James  Jemison,  Cayuga. 

Mr.  Eligah,  of  Monseetown,   Oneida. 

Mr.  William  Patterson,  Sachem,  of  Lewiston,  Tuscarora. 
Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs, 
Mr.  William  Chew, 

Mr.  Elias  Johnson,  " 

The  winter  after  the  meetings  above,  a  communication  was 
received  by  the  Secretary  of  our  society,  Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs, 
from  the  Tuscaroras  of  Grand  River,  Ontario,  wishing  him  to 
forward  to  them  a  copy  of  the  constitution  of  our  temperance 
society,  and  stating  that  they  wish  to  form  a  society  based 
upon  the  same,  which  was  deferred  by  Dea.  Jacobs  until  the 
June  following,  when  Dea.  Jacobs,Wm.  Patterson,  Rev.  Thomas 
Green  and  Wm.  Chew  went  to  Grand  River  with  the  constitu- 
tion. After  it  was  read  in  their  meeting,  the  Canadian  brothers 
adopted  it  and  formed  a  society  based  on  the  same.  It  was 
then  proposed  and  adopted  that  a  convention  should  be  held 
in  the  Six  Nations  council-house,  at  Grand  River,  Ontario,  in 
October,  1875.  Accordingly  the  convention  duly  met  and 
continued  three  days.  Our  cornet  band  was  present,  with 
quite  a  number  of  the  members  of  our  society.  The  meetings 
were  very  pleasant  and  interesting.  The  officers  were  as  fol- 
lows, to-wit : 


l6o  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

•President — Wm.  Chew,  of  Lewiston. 

Vice-President — John  Hill,  of  Grand  River. 

Secretary — Josiah  Hill,  of  Grand  River. 

Before  the  convention  closed  it  was  decided  that  the  next 
convention  should  be'  at  the  Tuscorora  Reservation, 'Lewis- 
ton,  N.  Y.,  on  the  i/th  day  of  October,  1876,  and  the  officers 
appointed  were  as  follows,  to-wit  : 

President — Josiah  Hill,  of  Grand  River. 

Vice-President — 'Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs,  of  Lewiston.  N.  Y. 

Secretary—Ellas  Johnson,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

Just  before  the  appointed  time  for  the  convention  to  meet, 
there  was  a  communication  received  by  Mr.  John  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, our  head  chief,  from  A.  Sim  Logan,  of  Cattaraugus  Res- 
ervation, N.  Y.,  being  leader  of  the  Seneca  national  cornet 
band,  asking  the  privilege  of  attending  the  contemplated 
convention  with  'his  band.  The  letter  was  read  at 
one  of  the  temperance  meetings,  and  was  not  only  acceded  to, 
but  they  were  cordially  invited  to  attend,  and  on  the  I7th  day 
of  October,  1876,  the  day  appointed  for  the  convention,  they 
were  on  hand.  A.  Sims  Logan,  with  his  national  cornet  band, 
of  Cattaraugus,  and  Levi  Jonathan,  with  his  Tuscasora  cornet 
band,  of  .Grand  River,  and  Solomon  Cusick,  with  his  temper- 
ance cornet  band,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y  ,  were  present,  which  com- 
prise the  three  leading  bands  of  music  of  any  nations  of  In- 
dians. 

The  programme  was  substantially  as  follows : 

1  The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  the  president,  Josiah 
Hill,  of  Grand  River. 

A  hymn  was  sung  by  the  assembly,  in  the  Indian  language, 
words,  "  Oh,  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing  my  Redeemer's 
praise  ;"  tune,  Dundee.  ' 

Prayer  by  Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

The  following  were  chosen  as  committees  of  arrangement, 
to-wit : 

Mr.  Wm.  Chew,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  l6l 

Mr.  Wm.  Printup,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Joseph  Henry,  of  Grand  River,  Ont. 

Mr.  George  Beaver,  of  Grand  River,  Ont. 

Mr.  Wm.  Nephew,  of  Cattaraugus,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Wm.  Printup  made  the  congratulatory  speech  of  the 
meeting,  through  an  intrepreter,  Joseph  Henry. 

The  speakers  of  the  first  session  were  as  follows,  to-wit : 

Mr.  Levi  Jonathan,  of  Grand  River,  Ont.,  on  Temperance. 

Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs,  of  Lewiston,  N.Y.,  on  Moral  Reform. 

Mr.  Joseph  Henry,  of  Grand  River,  Ont.,  on  Industry. 

Mr.  A.  Sim  Logan,  of  Cattaraugus,  N.  Y.,  on  Education. 

The  Tuscarora  cornet  band  favored  this  session  with  music 
between  the  speeches. 

Adjourned   at  2    o'clock    P.  M.  and    convened    again    at  5 

oclock  P.  M. 

The  assembly  was  called  to  order  by  the  president. 

The  following  were  the  speakers,  to-wit : 

Mr.  Simon  Carrier,  of  Grand  River,  Ont. 

Mr.  Josiah  Hill,  of  Grand  River,  Ont. 

Mr.  William  Anderson,  of  Grand  River,  Ont. 

Mr.  Wm.  Chew,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  John  Mt.  Pleasant,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Elias  Johnson,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Wm.  Nephew,  of  Cattaraugus,  N.  Y. 

Music  was  favored  the  second  session  by  the  Seneca  national 
band,  of  Cattaraugus,  N.  Y. 

Adjourned  at  8:30  o'clock  P.  M.  to  10  o'clock  A.  M.  to-mor- 
row, after  singing  the  tune  Greenville,  words,  "  Savior,  Visit 
Thy  Plantation." 

Benediction  by  Rev.  Thomas  Green. 

Oct.  1 8. — The  assembly  was  called  to  order  by  the  Vice- 
Prcsident,  Dea.  Samuel  Jacobs,  of  Lewiston,  at  10  o'clock  A.M. 
Opened  by  singing  an  Indian  hymn.  Prayer  by  Rev.  Thomas 
Green,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

The  Jbrtt-owing  were  the  speakers,  to-wit : 

(20) 


1 62  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

• 

Mr.  Thomas  Williams,  of  Grand  River. 

Mr.  George  Beaver,        "       "          " 

Mr.  John  C.  Lay,  "  Cattaraugus. 

Adjourned  at  1:30  o'clock  P.  M.  to  4  P.  M. 

The  assembly  was  called  to  order  at  4  o'clock  P.  M.  by  the 
President. 

The  following  were  the  speakers,  to-wit : 

Mr.   John   John,    of   Grand    River. 

Mr.    Levi  Jonathan, 

Dr.    Bombry,  "          " 

President  Josiah  Hill,      " 

Mr.  Albert  Cusick,  of  Onondaga  Castle. 

Mr.  Abram  Hill,     " 

Rev.  Thomas  Green,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  John  Mt.  Pleasant, 

Mr.  William  Patterson,  "  " 

Mr.  Marvin  Crows,  of  Cattaraugus,     " 

This  forenoon  we  were  favored  with  music  by  our  temper- 
ance cornet  band  between  the  speeches. 

lu  the  afternoon  session  we  were  favored  with  music  by 
C.  C.  Lay's  orchestra  band,  of  Cattaraugus,  N.  Y. 

President   Hill   in  the  chair,  business  was  resumed. 

Mr.  John  C.  Lay  moved  that  the  next  convention  be  held 
on  the  Cattaraugus  Reservation,  N.  Y.  This  was  followed  by 
a  motion  of  Levi  Jonathan,  that  the  next  convention  be  held 
at  Grand  River,  Ontario,  who  claimed  that  they  had  adopted 
the  constitution,  while  the  Senecas  had  not.  After  some  dis- 
cussion, A.  Sim  Logan  said,  "  If  you  will  give  us  a  copy  of 
your  constitution,  we  will  accept  of  it  and  form  a  society 
based  on  the  same." 

It  was  then  put  to  vote  and  carried  that  the  next  conven- 
tion should  be  held  at  Cattaraugus,  N.  Y,,  on  the  25th  day  of 
September,  1877. 

The  following  officers  were  appointed,  viz : 

Mr.  Elias  Johnson,  Tuscarora,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y.,  President. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  163 

Mr.  Josiah  Hill,  Tuscarora,  of  Grand   River,  Vice-President. 

Dr.  Bombry,  Cayuga,  of  Grand  River,  Secretary. 

On  the  evening  of  October  25th,  as  aforesaid,  the  conven- 
tion duly  met,  and  was  called  to  order  by  the  President,  E. 
Johnson  ;  opened  by  singing  and  prayer.  Business  was  then 
resumed.  The  Secretary  not  being  present,  Prof.  Chancy  C. 
Jemison,  of  Cattaraugus,  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

The  committee  of  arrangements  was  as  follows,  viz : 

Mr.  John  Canada,  Seneca,  of  Cattaraugus. 

Mr.  A.  Sim  Logan,  Seneca,  of  Cattaraugus. 

Mr.  Job  King,  Seneca,  of  Cattaraugus. 

Mr.  Levi  Jonathan,  Onondaga,  of  Grand  River. 
.  Mr.  James  Jemison,  Cayuga,  of  Grand  River. 

Mr,  Josiah  Hill,  Tuscarora,  of  Grand  River. 

Mr.  John  Mt.  Pleasant,  Tuscarora,  of  Lewiston. 

Mr.  Wm.  Chew,  Tuscarora,  of  Lewiston. 

Mr.  Daniel  La  Fort,  Onondaga,  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Abram  Hill,  Oneida,  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

The  convention  continued  three  days.  Many  speeches  were 
made  by  the  leading  men  of  the  several  nations  that  were 
represented.  The  meetings  were  unusually  interesting.  Every 
speaker  seemed  to  be  moved  to  the  utmost  of  their  enthu- 
siasm. The  congregations  were  large,  and  every  face  seemed 
to  glow  with  the  interest  that  was  awakened  in  the  great 
cause  of  temperance.  The  order  and  decorum  that  prevailed 
throughout  all  the  meetings  was  becoming  to  any  community. 

There  were  also  four  cornet  bands  which  favored  the  assem- 
blies with  music,  in  their  proper  times,  which  added  very  much 
to  the  interest  of  the  convention.  The  bands  were  as  fol- 
lows, to-wit : 

Mr.  A.  Sim  Logan's  national  cornet  band,  of  Cattarau- 
gus, N.  Y. 

Mr.  Chester  C.  Lay's  silver  cornet  band,  of  the  same  place. 

Mr.  Levi  Jonathan's  Tuscarora  cornet  band,  of  Grand 
River,  Ontario. 


164  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

Mr.  Enos  Johnson's  temperance  cornet  band,  e£  Tusca- 
rora,  N.  Y. 

On  the  morning  of  the  last  day  of  the  convention  before 
the  services  began,  the  four  cornet  bands  consolidated  in  one, 
which  made  over  fifty  members,  and  played  several  tunes  to- 
gether outsfde  of  the   Presbyterian  church,  in  which  the  con 
vention  was  held,  and  made  a  rousing  band  of  music. 

The  first  article  of  the  constitution,  which  reads  thus  :  "  This 
society  shall  be  denominated  the  Temperance  Society,"  was 
amended  so  as  to  read  thus:  "  This  society  shall  be  denomi- 
nated the  Six  Nations  Temperance  Society  of  the  United 
States  and  Canada." 

The  assembly  was  then  called  to  sign  the  temperance  pledge 
of  this  society.  There  were  upwards  of  two  hundred  that 
signed,  most  of  whom  resided  on  the  reservation  in  which 
the  convention  was  held  ;  but  there  were  some  from  the  Tona- 
wanda,  Alleghany  and  Onondaga  reservations,  and  also  one 
Oneida,  from  Green  Bay,  Wis. 

The  Onondagas  and  Tonawandas  made  application  for  a 
copy  of  the  constitution  to  be  sent  to  them,  that  they  might 
form  temperance  societies  on  their  respective  reservations, 
which  was  granted  them,  and  Mr.  Josiah  Hill  was  appointed 
to  write  the  copy  and  send  the  same  to  them. 

The  convention  adjourned  on  the  evening  of  the  third  clay. 
to  meet  again  the  next  year  at  Grand  River,  Ontario. 

OFFICERS. 

Mr.  John  Canada,  Seneca,  of  Cattaraugus,  President- 

Mr.  Wm.  Patterson,  Tuscarora,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y.,  Vice- 
President. 

Mr.  Josiah    Hill,  Tuscarora,  of  Grand  River,  Secretary. 

Mr.  John  Mt.  Pleasant,  Tuscarora,  of  Lewiston,  N.  Y., 
Treasurer. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above t  that  the  Tuscaroras  have  not 
been  altogether  idle  on  the  subject  of  temperance.  The  tempta- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  165 

tions  of  intemperance  surrounding  our  reservation  are  great. 
We  hope  that  the  legislature  will  aid  us  in  enacting  more  rigid 
laws,  for  the  temptation  is  working  even  in  cider,  which  seems 
to  be  more  intoxicating  now  than  in  former  times. 


Friendship  of  the  Tuscaroras  to  the 
United  States. 


The  Tuscarora  Indians  have  for  more  than  a  century  been 
a  firn)  friend  to  the*  United  States.  In  the  Revelutionary  war 
they  took  an  active  part  for  the  declaration  of  independence  ; 
many  took  part,  but  few  were  enrolled,  consequently,  but  few 
that  drew  pension  from  the  United  States.  For  instance, 
Nicholas  Cusick,  a  Tuscarora  Indian  ;  where  shall  you  look  for 
another  instance  of  friendship,  greater  than  his,  towards  the 
distinguished  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  or  for  christia"n  principle 
more  firm  and  true  than  he  evinced  concerning  his  pension.  » 

In  the  war  of  the  Revolution  he  was  under  command  of  La- 
fayette. Many  years  after  peace  was  concluded,  as  he  was 
passing  through  Washington,  he  accidentally  heard  the  name 
of  his  old  commander  spoken  of  in  the  office  in  which  he 
stopped  on  business.  The  moment  his  ear  caught  the  sound, 
his  eyes  brightened,  and  full  of  earnestness  he  asked,  "  Is  he 
yet  alive?"  "  Yes,"  was  the  reply,  "  he  is  alive  and  looking 
well  and  hearty."  With  decided  emphasis,  he  said,  "  I  am  glad 
to  hear  it."  "  Then  you  knew  Lafayette,  Mr.  Cusick  ?"  "  Oh, 
yes  ;"  he  answered,  "  I  knew  him  well,  and  many  a  time  in  bat- 


1 66  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

tie  I  threw  myself  between  him  and  the  bullets,  for  I  loved 
him."  On  asking  him  if  he  had  a  commission,  he  said,  "  Yes ; 
General  Washington  gave  me  one,  and  he  was  Lieutenant." 
This  suggested  to  his  friends  that  he  was  entitled  to  a  pension, 
and  on  looking  over  the  records,  the  truth  of  what  he  said  was 
confirmed,  and  he  received  one  for  several  years. 

Afterwards,  congress  passed  a  law  making  it  necessary  that 
each  recipient  should  swear  that  he  could  not  live  without  the 
pension.  When  the  old  warrior  was  called  upon  to  do  this,  he 
said,  "  Now,  here  is  my  little  log  cabin,  and  it  is  my  own  ;  here 
is  my  patch  of  ground,  where  I  raise  my  corn  and  beans,  and 
there  is  lake  Oneida,  where  I  can  catch  fish  ;  with  these  I  can 
make  out  to  live  without  the  pension,  and  to  say  that  I  could 
not,  would  be  to  lie  to  the  Great  Spirit." 

This  is  the  honor  of  the  Tuscarora  hero.  How  many  among 
those  of  the  white  people  who  receive  a  pension  would  have 
done  likewise,  for  conscience  sake.  Cusick  could  speak  the  Eng- 
lish language  very  well,  but  when  he  made  an  audible  prayer, 
or  said  grace  at  the  table,  he  used  his  native  Tuscarora  lan- 
guage, "  because,"  said  he,  "  when  I  speak  in  English,  I  am  of- 
ten at  a  loss  for  a  word ;  when,  therefore,  I  speak  to  the  Great 
Spirit,  I  do  not  like  to  be  perplexed,  or  have  my  mind  distract- 
ed to  look  after  a  word,  when  I  use  my  own  language,  it  is  like 
my  breath",  I  am  composed."  In  this  is  exemplified  that  he 
fully  understood  the  reverence  which  was  due  to  the  great 
Architect  of  the  universe. 

Solomon  Longboard,  also  a  Tuscarora  Sachem,  took  an  ac- 
tive part  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  with  many  others  of  his 
nation.  In  one  of  their  scouting  parties,  he,  with  others,  was 
taken  captive  by  the  British  Indians  and  brought  to  fort  Niag- 
ara, where  they  were  kept  for  some  time,  and  urged  to  take  up 
arms  and  fight  against  the  revolutionists.  Finally,  this  cele- 
brated sachem,  Longboard,  held  a  secret  council  among  the 
captives,  and  instructed  them  all  to  take  arms  and  advance 
with  the  British  Indians,  and  use  their  influence  to  lead  them 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  l6/ 

to  a  place  where  they  might  be  captured,  and  they  with  the 
rest,  which  they  successfully  effected,  and  were  re-captured  by 
the  Americans.  Instead  of  gaining  honor  and  laurels  to  his 
crown,  he  was  to  be  sentenced  to  be  shot  as  a  traitor,  but 
through  the  entreaties  of  the  Tuscarora  chiefs,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  the  feasibility  of  their  story  that  was  made  on  the  ex- 
ecutives, he  was  released,  but  never  drew  pension  as  did  Mr. 
Cusick. 

The  Tuscaroras  again  evinced  their  friendship  for  the  Unit- 
ed States  in  the  war  of  1812,  when  they  were  asked  to  guard 
the  Niagara  river  at  Lewiston  and  down  the  river,  against  the 
British  crossing  it. 

Here  again  we  hear  of  the  Tuscarora  sachem,  Solomon  Long- 
board,  with  about  thirty-five  Tuscarora  volunteers,  stationed 
at  Lewiston  on  guard.  I  have  recorded  some  of  the  names  of 
these  volunteers,  which  I  was  able  to  obtain  from  some  of  the 
old  people  that  were  yet  living  in  the  year  1878,  which  are  as 
follows,  to-wit :  The  two  sons  of  Solomon  Longboard,  Jacob 
Taylor,  Joseph  Cusick,  John  Cusick,  David  Cusick,  John  Black 
Nose  and  his  brother,  Samuel  Thompson,  John  Obediah,  Aaron 
Pempleton,  James  Pempleton,  John  Mt.  Pleasant,  Harry  Pat- 
terson, John  Green,  Isaac  Allen,  Capt.  Williams,  Gau-ya-re-na- 
tea,  Wm.  Printup,  better  known  as  little  Billy,  Black  Chief, 
John  Printup,  Isaac  Green,  Surgin  Green,  George  Printup. 
There  were  but  few  of  these  that  drew  pension,  as  it  was  alleg- 
ed that  they  were  not  enrolled  upon  the  army  roll,* 

On  the  night  of  December  iQth,  1813,  the  British  army 
and  British  Indians  crossed  the  Niagara  River  near  Calvin 
Hotchkis'  place,  about  two  miles  below  Lewiston.  They 
noticed  at  first  there  were  lights  going  across  the  river  during 
the  night,  and  at  the  dawn  of  day  were  despatceed,  Jacob 
Taylor  (better  known  as  Colonel  Jacobs),  and  another  Indian 
to  accompany  him — both  being  Tuscaroras.  On  their  return 
they  reported  that  the  British  Indians  had  crossed  the  river  in 
great  numbers.  The  news  was  circulated  in  the  village  of 


1 68  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

Lewiston  and  the  neighboring  country,  that  they  might  evac- 
uate their  places  and  go  east,  which  they  did,  taking  the 
Ridge  road.  The  Tuscarora  volunteers  took  the  rear  of  the 
train  as  they  moved  eastward,  commanded  by  their  Sachem, 
Solomon  Longboard. 

The  British  Indians  went  on  the  pursuit.  After  they  had 
gone  about  two  miles  from  the  village  of  Lewiston,  where  the 
Tuscarora  Indians  branched  off  on  a  road  leading  to  their 
reservation,  known  as  the  Indian  hill,  or  Mountain  road.  As 
they  had  advanced  part  way  up  the  mountain  they  observed  a 
Canada  Indian  on  horseback,  who  headed  off  some  of  the 
train,  and  among  the  rest  was  also  Bates  Cooke,  of  Lewiston. 
One  of  his  legs  had,  a  little  previous  to  that  time,  been  ampu- 
tated, and  the  main  Canada  force  were  about  half  a  mile  in 
the  rear  on  pursuit.  The  commander  of  the  Tuscarora  force 
ordered  that  the  Indian  heading  off  the  train  be  shot,  which 
was  done  by  John  Obediah.  The  Indian  tumbled  off  the 
horse  and  fell  to  the  ground,  and  then  got  up  and  ran  down 
the  little  hill  into  the  wood,  where  it  is  said  he  died  from  the 
wound  he  received. 

When  the  report  of  the  gun  was  heard  by  the  Canadian 
force  and  they  saw  the  effect  it  had  on  their  comrade,  they 
halted.  Their  commander,  Mr.  Longboard,  of  the  Tuscaroras, 
which  numbered  at  that  time  twenty-six,  from  them  selected 
three  men  and  instructed  them  to  get  upon  and  to  go  along 
the  top  of  t^e  mountain  and  to  blow  a  horn  occasionally,  which 
they  had  in  their  possession,  and  to  keep  nearly  opposite  the 
Canada  Indians.  The  object  was  to  serve  as  a  scare-crow,  to 
make  them  believe  that  there  was  a  force  also  on  the  moun- 
tain in  the  act  of  flanking  them.  But  the  remaining  force  of 
Mr.  Longboard  rushed  down  the  monntain  with  their  .war 
whoops  as  if  legion  were  coming  down,  and  pursued  the 
Canada  Indians,  while  the  train  of  white  people  had  gone  on 
in  their  flight.  The  Canada  Indians  retreated  about  one  mile 
and  a  half,  near  to  where  the  main  force  were.  Then  one  of 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  169 

their  men  halted  and  aimed  his  gun  at  one  of  our  men,  John 
Obediah,  and  the  latter  also  aimed  to  his  opponent,  while  Sam- 
uel Thompson  got  behind  a  large  elm  tree.  In  the  meantime, 
John  Obediah  spoke  to  the  stranger  in  all  the  different  six 
languages  of  the  Iroquois,  but  did  not  get  an  answer.  These 
were  the  only  two  men  in  pursuit  at  this  time,  as  the  rest  of 
them  had  halted  some  ways  back.  Finally  the  British  Indian 
retreated  backwards,  keeping  aim  as  he  went,  and  all  at  once 
gave  a  spring  and  ran  off.  The  three  men  that  were  on  the 
mountain  kept  occasionally  blowing  the  horn  as  they  went,  as 
the  road  is  parallel  with  the  mountain. 

By  this  time  the  train  of  white  people  had  gone  quite  a  good 
Ways  in  their  flight ;  it  is  evident  that  the  timely  intervention 
of  the  Tuscarora  Indians,  saved  great  slaughter  of  men,  women 
and  children  among  the  white  people. 

The  Tuscaroras  then  went  back  and  kept  in  the  rear  of  the 
white  people  in  their  flight.  The  British  Indians  perceiving 
that  it  was  the  Tuscarora  Indians  that  killed  one  of  their  num- 
ber and  repulsed  them,  made  their  wayv  to  their  reservation, 
(the  nation  had  already  deserted  their  homes),  and  began  to 
burn  their  houses  indiscriminately,  and  also  a  meeting-house 
which  was  built  by  them,  except  eight  dollars,  a  convenient 
chapel  where  the  early  Christian  Tuscaroras  such  as  Sacaresa 
and  Solomon  Longboard,  both  sachems,  with  many  others,  de- 
lighted to  worship  the  Almighty  in  the  simplicity  of  their 
faith.  And  after  they  had  finished  their  destruction  they  went 
down  in  pursuit  of  the  fleeing  train  of  white  people  on  the  ridge 
road ;  by  this  time  the  Tuscaroras  had  stationed  themselves  at 
a  log  house,  eight  or  ten  miles  from  Lewiston,  near  Nathan 
Peterson's,  which  was  used  as  an  armory  ;  when  the  Tuscaroras 
first  came,  there  were  a  few  white  men  there  breaking  open  the 
powder  kegs  in  this  log  house,  making  it  ready  to  set  on  fire 
but  the  chief,  Mr.  Longboard,  remonstrated  in  having  it  burn_ 
ed,  and  was  interpreted  to  them  by  Colonel  Jacobs,  so  they 
consented  not  to  destroy  the  powder. 

(31) 


I/O  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

When  the  British  Indians  came  in  sight,  Mr.  Longboard  in- 
structed his  men  to  keep  moving  back  and  forth  from  the  log 
house  or  armory,  to  a  thicket  in  the  rear  of  the  house,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  the  enemy  believe  that  there  was  a  large 
force  stationed  there  ;  the  enemy  halted  and  finally  went  back, 
and  thus  the  armory  was  saved.  The  manouvre  of  the  Tusca- 
rora  Indians  in  these  two  cases  above,  was  done  with  but  very 
little  sacrifice  on  their  part,  but  the  beneficence  was  great ;  but 
then,  who  cares  anything  about  that,  it  was  nothing  but  an  In- 
dian affair  anyhow  ;  this  will  probably  be  the  thought  of  those 
who  peruse  my  little  pages. 

When  the  Tuscaroras  evacuated  their  reservation  they  went 
to  Oneida  Castle  and  remained  there  during  the  war.  In  about 
the  last  part  of  June,  1814,  there  was  a  company  of  volunteers 
composed  of  about  thirty  Tuscaroras  and  a  number  of  Oneida 
Indians,  that  started  from  Oneida  Castle  to  Sackett's  Harbor, 
to  join  themselves  to  an  army  that  was  commanded  by  General 
Brown  ;  on  their  way  there,  when  they  arrived  at  Tonawanda, 
an  officer  came  to  them  and  asked  where  they  were  going ; 
they  answered,  "  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  to  join  General  Brown's 
army."  The  officer  said,  "  that  is  right ;"  he  then  asked  them 
if  they  lacked  anything,  and  they  said,  "  nothing  more  than 
being  short  of  victuals,  but  we  can  get  along  with  what  game 
we  can  procure  on  the  way."  The  officer  then  gave  them  one 
dollar  each  and  told  them  to  go  and  buy  some  bread. 

They  then  went  on,  and  on  the  3d  or  4th  of  July  they  crossed 
the  river  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  and  on  the  4th,  they,  with 
General  Brown  and  his  army  approached  an  intrenchment  of 
Gcn-eral  Riall's,  which  was  in  a  strong  position.  Brown  told 
the  Tuscaroras,  that  he  with  his  army  would  attack  the  enemy 
direct,  "  but,"  said  lie,  "  you  must  go  around  and  attack  the 
enemy  on  their  flank." 

It  is  acceded  by  all  American  nations,  that  the  characteristic 
of  the  Indians  in  their  war  battles,  is  to  fi^ht  in  scouting  and 
to  attack  by  surprise  ;  consequently,  it  seems  that  General  Ri- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1 71 

all  instructed  the  British  Indians,  which  numbered  several  hun- 
dred, that  when  he  was  attacked,  they  the  Indians,  should 
move  and  attack  their  enemy  also  on  the  flank ;  it  seems  that 
they  moved  in  the  shape  of  a  V  with  the  two  points  foremost. 
On  the  5th  occurred  the  battle  of  Chippewa  ;  the  contest  was 
obstinate  and  bloody ;  the  Tuscarora  Indians  in  moving  on 
the  flank  of  Brown's  army,  they  entered  in  the  enemy's 
moving  V  of  British  Indians,  and  when  they  arrived  at  the  fork, 
and  not  until  then,  did  the  Tuscaroras  know  where  they  were ; 
but,  nevertheless,  they  all  made  the  war-whoop,  fired  and.  made 
a  desperate  charge  at  one  point  and  broke  through  the  ranks 
of  the  enemy.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  there  was  but  one 
wounded  and  that  slightly  on  the  cheek,  and  not  one  killed  ; 
it  was  a  very  close  contest,  we  getting  away  with  the  loss  of 
bul?  a  few  guns  and  coats,  for  when  the  enemy  took  hold  of 
their  coats  they  would  only  pull  off  and  run.  It  was  then  that 
the  enemy's  V  closed  in  on  the  rear  of  the  Tuscaroras  and  the 
bloody  scene  began ;  the  enemy  fired  against  themselves,  and 
n0t  until  they  had  completely  destroyed  themselves  did  they 
discover  in  what  frenzy  they  were  ;  but  at  length  the  Ameri- 
cans were  victorious.  These  same  Tuscaroras  were  present  at 
the  memorable  battle  at  Bridgewater,  near  Niagara  Falls, 
where  a  desperate  engagement,  it  is  said,  ensued,  commencing 
about  sunset  and  lasting  until  midnight,  where  Generals  Brown 
and  Scott  were  wounded. 

In  every  instance  when  the  United  States  were  in  trouble, 
the  Tuscaroras  were  ever  ready  to  sacrifice  their  blood  upon  the 
American  altar,  which  they  again  fully  evinced  in  the  war  of 
the  rebellion,  when  twenty-three  of  the  Tuscarora  Indian 
warriors  enlisted  as  volunteers  in  the  United  States  army, 
some  of  whom  died  in  the  service  of  the  country ;  but  some 
were  spared  by  the  good  Providence,  and  were  permitted  yet 
to  share  the  sweets  of  home  ;  some  inherited  diseases  which 
they  will  probably  carry  down  to  their  graves. 

In  the  year  1862  Cornelius  C.  Cusick,  a  grandson  of  Nicholas 


1/2  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

Cusick,  the  revolutionist,  was  commissioned  to  the  office  of 
Second  Lieutenant.  There  were  four  other  Tuscaroras  mus- 
tered in  with  him  in  the  3d  N.  Y.  Volunteers,  I32d  Reg't,  Co. 
D,  to-wit :  Jeremiah  Peters,  John  Peters,  Hulett  Jacobs,  George 
Garlow,  and  there  are  others  who  enlisted  afterwards  at  dif- 
ferent times  during  the  war,  to  wit : 

Twelfth  N.  Y.  Vol's,  Cav.,  Co.  M.— Ozias  Chew,  John  Pem- 
pleton,  Charles  Pempleton,  Nichodemus  Thompssn. 

Bat.  K,  ist  N.  Y.  Light  Art.— Samuel  Bearfoot  (Ely  Pat- 
terson), Wm.  Joseph  (Lewis  Patterson),  Alexander  John  (Davis 
Miller),  Zhacariah  Johnson  (Elijah  Johnson),  Wm.  Anderson 
(Samuel  Jack). 

Clinton  Mt.  Pleasant,  3Oth,  transferred  to  3ist    N.  J.  Vol's, 
Inv.  colored  brigade. 
.  Wilson  Jacobs,  1st  N.  Y.,  Vet.  Cav.,  Co.  M. 

Edward  Spencer  (Edward  Anderson),  Inv.  sway,  Co.  A,  i/th 
Corps. 

Alvis  D.  Hewett,  isist  N.  Y.  Vol's. 

Thomas  Cornelius,  Co.  K,  2d  N.  Y.  Mounted  Rifles. 

Charles  Green,  I2oth  N.  Y.  Vol's,  Co.  K. 

John  Longboard,  Samuel  Mt.  Pleasant, 

During  the  war,  Cornelius  C.  Cusick  was  promoted  to  First 
Lieutenant,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  promoted  to 
Captain.  He  was  some  time  afterwards  commissioned  into 
the  regular  army  of  the  United  States  as  First  Lieutenant. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  173 


Antique  Rock  Citadel  of  Kiemika ; 

OR,  GAU-STRAU-YEA. 


There  has  been  much  said  by  different  writers  of  aboriginal 
forts,  and  fort  builders  of  western  New  York,  in  availing  them- 
selves of  steeps,  gulfs,  defiles,  and  other  marked  localities,  in 
establishing  works  for  security  or  defense.  This  trait  is,  how- 
ever, in  no  case  more  strikingly  exemplified  than  in  the  curious 
antique  work  of  Kienuka.  The  term  "  Kienuka,"  means  the 
stronghold  or  fort  ;  but  the  original  name  of  this  fort  is  Gau- 
strau-yea,  which  means  bark  laid  down  ;  this  has  a  metaphori- 
cal meaning,  in  the  similitude  of  a  freshly  peeled  slippery  elm 
bark,  the  size  of  the  fort  and  laid  at  the  bottom  as  a  flooring, 
so  that  if  any  person  or  persons  go  in  they  must  be  circum- 
spect, and  act  according  to  the  laws  of  the  fort,  or  else  they 
will  slip  and  fall  down  to  their  own  destruction. 

The  citadel  of  Kienuka  is  situated  about  four  miles  east- 
ward of  the  inlet  of  Niagara  gorge  at  Lewiston,  on  a  natural 
escarpment  of  the  ridge  on  the  Tuscarora  reservation,  known 
at  present  by  the  name  of  the  Old  Saw  Mill. 

There  is  quite  an  interesting  tradition  connected  with  the 
antique  fort  Gau-strau-yea.  At  the  formation  of  the  confed- 
eracy of  the  Iroquois,  there  was  a  virgin  selected  from  a  nation 
which  was  called  Squawkihaws  (a  remote  branch  of  the  Sene- 
ca nation),  and  was  ordained  a  Queen  or  Peacemaker,  who  was 
stationed  at  this  fort  to  execute  her  office  of  peace,  her  official 
name  was  Ge-keah-saw-sa. 


1/4  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

The  fort  was  built  by  the  Senecas  aided  by  the  Squawki- 
haws,  on  an  eminence  on  the  north  side  of  a  steep  of  perpen- 
dicular rocks,  which  was  about  eight  or  ten  feet  down  ;  and  on 
the  east,  south  and  west  sides  they  dug  a  trench  four  or  five 
feet  deep,  and  in  this  trench  were  placed  timbers  which  were 
put  up  perpendicularly  and  jointed  as  close  as  possible,  they 
projected  above  the  ground  ten  or  twelve  feet,  inclosing  a 
place  of  about  twenty  by  fifty  rods.  The  house  for  the  Queen 
was  in  the  center  of  this  inclosure  or  fort,  and  adjacent  houses 
were  built  in  two  rows,  with  a  trail  or  path  between  them  di- 
recting towards  the  Queen's  house  ;  on  each  end  and  inside  of 
the  fort,  which  ran  lengthwise  east  and  west,  was  an  entrance 
corresponding  with  the  trail  prepared  leading  to  the  house  of 
the  Queen. 

Then  a  suitable  number  of  warriors  were  selected  from  the 
Squawkihaws'  nation,  the  ablest  bodied,  the  swiftest  runners 
and  the  most  expert  in  the  arts  of  war,  which  were  stationed 
at  this  fort  (and  made  their  dwelling  in  the  adjacent  houses), 
to  keep  it  in  order  and  execute  its  regulations  and  laws  ;  they 
were  to  be  supported  with  subsistance  and  all  other  necessaries 
of  life,  and  furnished  with  suitable  implements  of  war  by  the 
Iroquois. 

In  order  more  fully  to  understand  the  laws  and  regulations 
of  the  fort  or  place  of  peace,  it  must  be  observed  that  at  this 
period  there  were  contentions,  strife  and  wars  between  all  the 
different  known  nations  of  the  continent ;  nation  against  na- 
tion, like  fishes  of  the  waters,  the  larger  ones  eating  the 
smaller.  The  warrior  who  can  report  in  his  rehearsal  in  the 
war-dance  of  having  obtained  the  greatest  number  of  scalps 
from  the  enemy,  was  the  most  honored  and  had  the  most  lau- 
rels in  his  crown  ;  consequently,  they  were  constantly  forming 
companies  for  an  expedition  to  some  nation  in  quest  of  honor 
and  the  applause  of  their  nation.  At  this  time  the  confederacy 
of  the  Iroquois  was  formed,  and  this  place  of  peace  was  ordain- 
ed for  the  purpose,  it  may  be,  to  alleviate  the  distress  and  com- 
motion of  the  nations  of  the  forest. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,.  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1/5 

The  laws  were  that  there  shall  be  no  nation  or  nations  of 
the  Iroquois  make  war  against  any  nation  or  nations  of  the 
same  league,  under  any  circumstances ;  and  the  Iroquois  must 
not  make  war  with 'any  alien  nation  without  the  consent  of 
the  Queen.  This  fort  must  ever  be  held  sacred,  as  it  is  a 
place  of  peace,  by  never  allowing  the  shedding  of  blood  within 
the  inclosure.  All  executions  decreed  by  the  Queen  should 
be  made  outside  of  the  fort.  And  any  person  or  persons, 
aside  from  the  keepers  of  the  fort,  should,  on  entering,  never 
go  any  faster  than  a  walk.  And  the  Queen  must  always  have 
meals  ready  at  every  hour  of  the  day  and  night — allegorically 
speaking,  it  is  called  a  kettle  of  hominy  hanging,  for  all 
fugitives  and  pursuers  from  any  nation  on  the  continent  to 
partake.  All  fugtiives,  irrespective  of  their  nationalities,  flee- 
ing for  life,  from  their  enemy,  when  once  their  feet  touch  the 
threshold  of  the  fort,  their  life  is  safe  ;  then  the  Queen  con- 
ducts him  or  them  into  one  end  of  her  house,  which  is  length- 
wise east  and  west,  with  a  door  at  each  end  and  a  partition 
in  the  center  of  the  room  by  a  curtain  made  of  deer  skin,  and 
when  the  pursuer  comes,  she  also  conducts  him  or  them  to 
the  other  end  of  the  room.  She  then  gives  to  each  of  these 
parties,  which  are  enemies  to  each  other,  sustenance  to  eat ; 
.when  this  being  done,  she  rolls  away  the  curtain,  so  that 
each  party  can  see  the  other ;  when  they  have  done  eating 
they  pass  out  and  go  home  to  their  respective  nations  in  peace. 
It  is  contrary  to  law  after  a  fugitive  arrives  at  this  fort  and 
has  gone  out,  for  the  enemy  to  execute  their  death  scheme 
without  the  consent  of  the  Queen  ;  and  if  this  be  violated, 
then  the  Iroquois  demand  the  trespasser  from  the  nation  to 
which  he  or  they  belong.  If  this  is  acceded  to,  'tis  well ;  then 
the  trespassers  are  executed,  of  which  the  penalty  is  death. 
But  should  the  nation  harbor  the  trespasser,  then  the  nation 
must  suffer  the  devastations  of  war  at  the  hands  of  the 
Iroquois. 

I  would    here  say  a  few  words  in   relation   to   the   question 


176  LEGENBS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

often  asked,  "Who  were  the  Squawkihows,  Kah-Kwahs,  and 
the  Eries?"  There  has  been  much  controversy  on  the  ques- 
tion. These  three  named  tribes  were  of  one  language  and  of 
one  nation — a  remote  branch  of  the  Seneca  nation — and  spoke 
the  same  language  as  the  Senecas,  varying  but  very  little  in 
a  few  words.  These  three  tribes  originally  were  called  Squaw- 
kihows. In  time  they  became  very  numerous  and  powerful. 
They  had  their  settlement  from  the  shores  of  Lake  Ontario 
and  along  the  Niagara  River,  and  up  Lake  Erie  as  far  as  a 
place  now  called  Erie,  and  as  far  east  as  to  the  Genesee  river. 
This  was  their  domain,  within  these  limits. 

A  settlement  of  this  nation  in  the  neighborhood  of,  now, 
North  Evans,  south  of  Buffalo,  a  place  called  by  them  Kah- 
kwah-ka,  and  the  Squawkihows  living  in  this  vicinity  were  called 
Kah-kwahs  ;  and  the  Squawkihows  living  further  on  along  the 
shores  of  Lake  Erie  were  called  cats  or  Eries,  a  name  that 
originated  from  the  name  of  the  lake.  By  this  explanation 
you  will  better  understand  my  story. 

There  was  a  time  when  the  Kah-kwahs'  branch  of  that  nation 
made  a  challenge  to  the  Seneca  nation,  another  very  powerful 
nation  having  their  settlement  on  the  east  side  of  the  Genesee 
river,  to  play  a  game  of  ball,  which  the  Senecas  readily  accept- 
ed and  a  day  was  appointed  ;  accordingly,  the  combat  ensued, 
and  was  a  hotly  contested  game,  but  the  Senecas  finally  came 
out  victorious.  The  Kah-kwahs  immediately  made  another 
challenge,  that  of  having  a  foot  race,  which  the  Senecas  also 
accepted.  Each  nation  chose  their  swiftest  runners,  then  the 
flyers  went  which  and  tucker  for  a  ways,  but  the  Senecas  final- 
ly came  out  glorious.  The  Kah-kawhs  being  mortified  by  the 
defeat  of  the  two  contests  made  the  third  challenge,  that  of 
wrestling,  with  the  understanding  that  an  umpire  must  be 
chosen  from  each  nation  and  both  to  have  a  war  club  in  hand, 
and  the  one  that  is  defeated  should  suffer  death  by  having  his 
head  struck  with  the  war  club  while  down,  by  the  umpire  op- 
ponent to  the  one  defeated,  and  should  be  best  two  in  three. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1 77 

Even  in  this  the  Senecas  accepted  the  challenge,  and  in  this  re- 
markable contest  they  were  also  victorious.  With  this  the 
assemblage  dispersed. 

The  defeats  of  the  Kah-kwahs  considerably  alieniated  the 
Squawkihows  from  the  Senecas ;  the  report,  of  course,  reached 
the  ears  of  the  Queen,  which  also  alienated  her  feelings  from 
the  Senecas,  she  being  by  birth  a  Squawkihow,  but  the  office 
to  which  she  was  ordained  was  by  the  Iroquois. 

After  this  in  one  of  the  scouting  tours  of  the  Senecas  across 
the  Niagara  river,  among  the  Masassauka  Indians,  on  their  re- 
turn at  night  to  the  "  place  of  peace  "  or  Gau-strau-yea,  they 
were  pursued  by  a  number  of  the  Masassaukas  ;  when  both 
parties  had  arrived  and  had  their  repast,  they  all  lodged  there 
to  rest  in  peace  for  the  night,  as  they  were  wont  to  do.  But  in 
the  slumber  and  stillness  of  the  midnight  hour,  was  tested  the 
treachery  of  the  Queen,  by  the  Masassaukas,  in  asking  her 
consent  to  massacre  the  Senecas  in  their  unsuspecting  slum- 
ber ;  her  feelings  having  been  previously  somewhat  alienated 
from  the  Senecas,  she  was  induced  to  give  her  consent,  where- 
upon they  were  massacred  ;  their  number  I  have  not  been  able 
to  obtain.  They  were  buried  southwest  from  the  Queen's 
house,  the  mound  of  which  was  perceptible  until  a  few  years 
ago,  when  it  was  cultivated. 

This  breach  of  the  law  of  that  fort  by  the  Queen  giving 
consent  in  the  shedding  of  blood  in  that  sacred  place,  grated 
the  conscience  of  the  Squawkikows,and  being  alienated  by  the 
defeat  they  experienced  a  short  time  previous  by  the  matches 
they  had  with  the  Senecas. 

This  affair  was  kept  secret  for  a  while.  At  the  same  time 
the  Squawkihows  urged  the  consent  of  the  Queen  for  them  to 
exterminate  the  Seneca  nation  and  to  take  them  on  surprise, 
for,  they  said,  when  they  hear  of  the  massacre,  they  will  at 
once  wage  war  against  us.  They  finally  prevailed  on  her,  so 
she  condemned  the  Seneca  nation  to  be  exterminated. 

At  this  time  there  was  one  warrior  of  the  Senecas  who  had 

(22) 


1/8  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

married  into  the  Squawkihows'  nation  and  lived  among  them. 
When  he  heard  that  the  Queen  had  given  up  the  Seneca  nation 
into  the  hands  of   the  Squawkihows,  to  be  exterminated,  he 
resolved  to  go  to  a  place  called  Tah-nyh-yea,  among  the  Sene- 
cas — east  side  of  Genesee  river,  on  the  Seneca  river — where 
dwelled  the  head  Sachem  of  the  Seneca  nation,  by  the  name 
of  Onea-gah-re-tah-wa,  and  matte  his  report  to  that  venerable 
Sachem,  the  decision  of  the  Queen,  which  was  final.     To  ac- 
complish this,  without  exciting  the  suspicion  of  his  family  and 
neighbors,  he  went  under  the  pretense  of  going  away  to  hunt 
on  the  lake  shore  of  Ontario,  and  would  not  be  expected  home 
in   two   or  three  days.     Early  one  fine  morning  this  warrior 
started  on  his  high  mission  from  his  house,  which  was  located 
near  the  fort  (Gau-strau-yea).     He  went  northerly  and  touched 
Lake  Ontario,  where  he   had  a  canoe  for  the  purpose  of  hunt- 
ing and  fishing,  in  which  he  embarked  and  rowed  eastward  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Oswego  river,  and  up  the  river  as  far  as  the 
Seneca   river;   then  up  that  river  to   the   settlement   of   the 
Senecas.     He  there  left  his  canoe  and   made  for  Tah-nyh-yea, 
and  went  directly  to  the  Sachem,  (Onea-gah-re-tah-wa's)  wigwam 
in   the  dead  of  night,  and  called  him  out  doors.     He  there 
related  to  the  Sachem  the  decree  of  the  Queen,  concerning  the 
Seneca  nation  and  the   massacre,  and  requested  him  to  keep 
secret  the  way  he  had  received  the  message.     The  warrior  im- 
mediately returned  home  in  the  same  way  that  he  came. 

In  the  morning  the  venerable  Sachem  went  out  early  and 
gave  the  war  cry,  which  denoted  that  they  were  massacred, 
that  war  was  inevitable,  and  for  the  warriors  to  rally  and 
prepare  for  war.  The  nation  soon  gathered.  He  then  related 
the  message  he  had  received  during  the  night,  and  said  he  had 
heard  that  some  of  their  warriors  were  massacred  at  the  fort 
(Gau-strau-yea),  and  that  the  Queen  had  decreed  their  exter- 
mination at  the  hand  of  the  Squawkihows.  He  then  appoint- 
ed four  warriors  of  the  best  runners  to  go  and  spy  the  fort  and 
the  settlement  if  there  was  any  indication  of"  preparation  for 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  179 

war,  with  instructions  that  with  the  very  first  indication  of  a 
preparation  for  war  that  they  should  at  once  dispatch  one  of 
their  number  home  to  make  his  report,  and  the  others  to  go 
on  and  to  observe  the  progress  of  the  preparation  and  make 
their  reports  accordingly. 

The  four  gallant  warriors  now  made  their  way  to  the  settle- 
ment at  Gau-strau-yea.  When  they  arrived,  they  saw  only  the 
eldest  people,  from  about  upwards  of  sixty-five  years  of  age, 
and  the  younger  children,  from  about  fourteen  years  of  age 
and  under.  While  they  were  traveling  they  saw  two  boys 
picking  up  sticks  for  firewood.  One  of  them  asked  the  smaller 
boy  where  his  father  was.  The  bright  little  fellow  spoke 
promptly  and  said,  "Gone  to  war."  Before  the  older  boy 
could  divert  his  attention  by  touching  him,  the  little  fellow 
finished  his  answer.  This  they  took  to  be  news,  and  immedi- 
ately dispatched  one  of  their  number  home  to  make  the  report. 
When  this  one  made  his  report  to  Onea-gah-re-tah-wa,  he  at 
once  dispatched  runners  to  the  other  nations  of  the  league  to 
inform  them  of  what  had  happened  to  their  father,  the  Seneca 
nation,  and  the  desecration  of  their  fort.  The  three  that  were 
left  after  the  one  was  dispatched  home,  went  on  to  a  settle- 
ment of  the  same  nation  at  Gill  Creek,  above  Niagara  Falls, 
where  they  found  the  people  the  same  as  at  Gau-straw-yea. 
The  elders  and  the  youngers  only  were  at  home.  They  also 
asked  a  boy  there  where  his  father  was.  He  aswered :  "At 
Kah-kwah-ka,"  which  is  south  of  Buffalo.  These  three  spies 
took  pains  to  get  at  Kah-kwah-ka  in  the  night.  When  they 
got  there  they  fouud  a  great  multitude  gathered,  and  engaged 
in  the  war  dance.  The  spies  went  right  among  the  multitude 
without  being  suspected,  because  their  language  was  the  same 
as  the  Squawkihows,  and  took  part  in  the  dances.  They  saw 
the  warriors  in  their  dance  have  a  head  of  a  bear,  tossing  it 
about  and  striking  it  with  the  war  club,  and  at  the  same  time 
exclaiming :  "We  will  have  the  head  of  Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, 
(the  Seneca  Sachem)  and  strike  it  thus,"  at  the  same  time 


180  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

hitting  it  with  their  club.  And  the  war  chief  said  that  they 
would  start  in  the  morning  and  on  the  third  day  they  would 
have  the  head  of  Onea-gah-re-tah-wa  strung  up  on  a  pole. 
With  that  the  spies  dispatched  home  the  second  one  to  make 
his  report  of  what  they  saw  and  heard,  and  this  one  retired 
from  the  crowd  privately  some  little  time  before  daybreak. 
The  two  still  remained  with  the  crowd,  talking  and  chatting 
with  them  as  if  they  were  one  of  their  nation. 

In  the  morning  the  grand  march  took  their  place  in  the  war 
path  towards  their  intended  destruction.  The  ablest  warriors 
took  the  front  rank;  then  came  the  older  ones;  after  them 
the  boys  upwards  of  fourteen  years  of  of  age  ;  lastly  came  the 
able  bodied  females.  Thus  they  marched  until  the  next  night, 
when  they  prepared  ground  for  a  dance,  and  went  through  the 
same  performance  as  the  night  before.  Now  the  third  spy 
withdrew  from  the  crowd  just  before  daybreak  to  make  his 
report  and  keep  the  Senecas  posted  in  the  advance  of  the 
enemy.  On  the  second  day  the  march  was  renewed,  and  pro- 
ceeded in  the  same  order  as  on  the  first  day.  The  next  night 
was  also  spent  as  that  of  the  last,  in  flattering  themselves  of 
the  wonderful  things  that  they  were  to  accomplish.  About 
two  hours  before  daybreak  the  last  spy  also  withdrew  from  the 
crowd  and  made  for  home,  to  inform  them  how  far  off  they 
were  from  the  Seneca  settlement.  After  the  last  one  had  made 
his  report,  Onea-gah-re-tah-wa  arose  from  his  seat,  with  that 
majestic  movement  which  only  would  become  him  as  the  head 
Sachem  of  the  Seneca  nation,  and  said  :  "  To  you,  first,  my 
most  beloved  comrades,  the  Chiefs  and  Sachems  of  our  noble 
nation,  I  would  bring  to  your  minds  the  past  in  a  few  words, 
and  it  may  be  for  the  last  time.  How  often  have  we  sat  to- 
gether around  tke  council  fire  of  our  nation.  I  congratulate 
you  all  in  the  good  feeling  that  has  always  prevailed  in  our 
deliberations  of  various  subjects  in  relation  to  the  welfare  and 
happiness  of  our  nation,  and  more  particularly  our  sisters  and 
their  offspring,  and  we  have  not  been  unmindful  even  of  those 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  iSl 

that  are  not  yet  born,  for  in  them  have  we  hoped  of  the  exist- 
ence of  our  nation.  Have  not  the  nations  of  the  Iroquois  re- 
spected and  even  honored  your  counsels  around  the  great 
council  fire  of  the  league,  and  now  is  destruction  awaiting  your 
dawn?  But  if  that  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  by  running 
we  cannot  flee  from  it.  And  to  you,  our  sisters,  have  we  not 
ever  been  mindful  of  you  in  our  deliberations  and  ever  wished 
you  success ;  and  have  we  not,  as  it  were,  embraced  you  and 
your  children  in  our  arms  to  protect  you  ?  We  now  commend 
you  to  the  Great  Spirit,  who  is  our  helper.  And  now  to  you, 
most  noble  warriors,  in  whom  the  council  looks  for  the  enforce- 
ment of  their  decrees.  In  bringing  difficulties  and  contentions 
among  yourselves,  have  we  not  brought  back  to  you  peace, 
by  meting  out  to  you  justice ;  and  in  your  troubles  have  we 
not  whispered  in  your  ears  words  of  consolation?  And  we  have 
ever  placed  you  close  to  our  hearts.  In  you  is  the  power  of 
the  nation,  and  in  you  we  look  for  safety.  You  have  under- 
stood it  that  our  nation  has  been  given  into  the  hands  of  our 
enemy  by  the  Queen,  and  we  are  now  in  jeopardy.  As  I  have 
said,  we  cannot,  by  running,  flee  from  the  decree  of  the  Great 
Spirit,  but  if  He  is  for  us  we  shall  prevail.  He  will  give 
strength  to  our  bow,  direct  our  arrows,  give  might  to  our  arms 
and  direct  our  blows,  and  put  to  flight  our  enemy,  and  we 
shall  conquer.  He  is  able  to  give  us  peace  in  this  our  time 
of  trouble,  if  we  all  but  trust  in  Him.  It  is  he  that  made  us 
and  He  is  able  to  preserve  us  from  our  enemies.  Now  my 
dear  relatives  in  the  different  ties  of  blood,  it  is  not  meet  that 
we  should  have  our  blood  spilt  within  our  domain,  nor  to  have 
the  dead  bodies  of  our  enemies  strewed  within  our  settlement. 
We  must  now  march  and  meet  our  foe.  We  must  not  turn 
our  heel  to  them;  but  if  we  are  to  be  exterminated,  let  the 
last  drop  of  Seneca  blood  be  spilt  upon  the  bosom  of  our 
mother  earth,  and  let  the  sun  in  the  heavens  be  the  witness 
that  we  die  in  the  defence  of  our  wives,  children  and  homes, 
which  is  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  the  Great  Spirit." 


1 82  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

They  now  made  their~march,  and  after  they  had  advanced  a 
number  of  miles  they  met  the  enemy.  It  was  now  sometime 
in  the  afternoon.  A  desperate  battle  ensued.  The  storm  of 
the  arrows  headed  with  flint,  and  also  the  creased  poisoned 
arrows  was  kept  up  until  evening,  when  a  peculiar  war  cry  was 
given,  which  indicated  rest,  at  which  in  an  instant  the  storm 
of  arrows  ceased,  when  the  Sachems  of  the  two  parties  came 
near  together  and  deliberated  on  the  conditions  of  rest  during 
the  night,  that  each  party  should  retreat  a  ways  and  rest  with- 
out either  molesting  the  other  during  the  night,  but  in  the 
morning  they  should  come  together  and  resume  the  battle. 

In  the  morning  the  battle  was  renewed,  even  with  more 
vigor  than  the  day  before,  until  nearly  noon,  when  the  war  cry 
of  rest  was  again  given.  The  fight  was  again  suspended  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  refreshments. 

At  this  time  Onea-gah-re-tah-wa  said  to  the  Chiefs  of  the 
Squawkihows,  "  While  we  are  resting  let  us  have  a  recreation 
by  having  a  wrestling  between  the  two  parties,  and  each  one 
should  have  a  war  club  in  his  belt,  and  the  one  that  is  de- 
feated should  die  at  the  hands  of  his  victor  with  the  war  club." 
The  Squawkihows  accepted  the  challenge.  Then  the  wrest- 
ling was  continued  to  several  contests,  in  which  the  Senecas 
were  victorious.  There  were  several  of  the  very  ablest  war- 
riors of  the  Squawkihows  killed  in  this  simple  contest  of  wrest- 
ling. 

They  again  resumed  the  battle.  At  this  time  the  Senecas 
reserved  quite  a  number  of  their  smartest  warriors,  with  each 
of  them  a  bunch  of  bark  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  tying 
prisoners.  They  were  in  the  rear  and  laid  low.  The  battle 
was  still  more  deeperate.  They  finally  came  in  hand-in-hand. 
Then  they  made  use  of  their  war  clubs.  At  this  time  the 
Squawkihows  summoned  to  their  aid  their  reserved  company, 
which  they  kept  in  the  rear.  The  young  women  came  on  the 
flank  of  the  Senecas'  ranks,  and  beat  them  with  clubs,  which 
made  the  Senecas  falter  for  a  while.  Finally  they  called  on 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,   OR   SIX   NATIONS.  183 

their  reserved  warriors,  who  made  a  desperate  charge  on  the 
enemy  and  made  them  retreat.  The  Senecas  began  taking 
prisoners.  They  tied  their  hands  behind  them  to  trees.  In 
this  way  they  took  a  great  many  prisoners,  particularly  the 
females.  The  warriors  rallied  and  fought  as  they  retreated. 
After  a  while  a  company  suddenly  broke  off  from  their  ranks 
and  ran  away.  In  a  moment  they  had  disappeared  in  the 
forest.  Those  that  remained  rallied  again  and  fought  as  they 
were  retreating  until  evening,  when  all  at  once  the  whole  com- 
pany wheeled  right  around,  gave  a  spring,  and  off  they  went. 
The  Senecas  made  their  pursuit,  every  now  and  then  taking  a 
prisoner  until  dark,  when  they  rested  and  camped  for  the  night. 
The  next  morning  they  selected  the  best  runners,  the  ablest 
bodied  and  the  most  skilled  in  the  arts  of  war,  who  were  sent 
out  to  exterminate  the  nation,  to  begin  at  the  settlement  of 
fort  Gau-strau-yea,  and  so  on  south  to  the  other  settlements  of 
the  nation. 

When  the  Seneca  invaders  came  at  the  fort  (Gau-strau-yea), 
they  found  it  was  evacuated  and  all  the  settlement  had  fled. 
The  trail  they  left  behind  pointed  southward  plainly.  The 
invaders  followed  to  the  next  settlement  at  Gill  Creek,  above 
Niagara  Falls,  which  they  found  vacated.  They  still  followed 
on,  bent  on  retaliation.  They  then  came  to  the  settlement  of 
Kah-kwas,  which  they  also  found  evacuated.  They  kept  on 
the  pursuit  until  they  came  to  the  settlement  of  the  Eries, 
and  also  found  it  evacuated  as  the  others.  Still  they  kept  on 
their  pursuit,  and  when  they  came  to  the  Alleghany  river  they 
saw  pieces  floating,  which  indicated  the  making  of  canoes. 
They  immediately  ascended  the  river.  After  they  had 
gone  some  ways  they  found  where  the  enemies  had  been 
encamped,  and  saw  indications  where  they  had  built  several 
canoes.  The  fires  indicated  that  they  must  have  just  embarked 
that  morning  and  rowed  down  the  river.  They  then  went  down 
the  river  some  distance,  and  finally  gave  up  the  chase.  The 


1 84  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

invaders  returned  to  their  settlement — the  Seneca  nation. 
A  glorious  victory  crowned  their  severe  trial  and  labor. 

A  grand  council  was  called  of  the  Seneca  nation  for  the  just 
returned  warriors  to  make  their  report  of  the  glory  they  had 
won,  and  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  enemy.  After  they 
had  finished  making  their  report  a  great  feast  was  made,  and 
after  that  they  were  again  permitted  to  smoke  the  calumet  of 
peace,  and  once  more  settle  down  as  heretofore,  as  one  of  the 
bright  stars  of  heaven,  among  the  several  nations  of  the  Iroquois. 
At  night  they  had  a  general  dance,  both  young  and  old,  irre- 
spective of  sex,  to  celebrate  the  great  victory  they  had  won. 

The  Squawkihows  have  never  been  heard  of  since,  as  a 
nation,  to  the  present  time.  It  is  supposed  that  they  must 
have  gone  in  the  far  west  and  changed  their  name;  but  this 
is  merely  a  supposition.  Those  that  the  Senecas  took  captives 
are  still  among  the  different  settlements  of  the  Seneca  nation, 
more  particularly  among  the  Cattaraugus  reservation. 

That  is  the  way  the  Senecas  came  in  possession  of  so  large  a 
dominion.  They  held  their  domain  east  of  the  Genesee  river, 
and  also  took  possession  of  the  dominion  of  the  Squawkihows, 
which  run  from  Lake  Ontario  and  along  Niagara  river  and 
Lake  Erie  to  the  Pennsylvania  line. 

The  office  of  the  Queen  Ge-keah-sau-sa,  of  fort  Gau-strau-yea, 
for  several  hundred  years  (it  is  said  by  the  Senecas  about  six 
hundred  years  ago  she  evacuated  the  fort),  the  Iroquois  did 
not  reordain,  for  the  reason,  as  it  is  alleged  by  them,  that  the 
female  is  the  weaker  sex  of  humanity.  Physically,  it  must  fol- 
low that  they  are  weaker  also  mentally,  as  it  is  evinced  by  the 
treachery  of  the  Queen  in  her  easily  being  decoyed  in  making 
her  rash  decision  concerning  the  massacre  in  the  fort,  and 
also  in  the  giving  up  of  the  Seneca  nation  in  the  hands  of 
their  enemy.  They  considered  it  not  prudent  to  vest  so  much 
authority  in  the  weaker  sex.  And  as  no  one  has  been  con- 
sidered capable  or  worthy  of  the  high  honor  that  Ge-keah-sau-wa 
once  reigned,  until  about  twenty-five  years  ago,  from  the  year 


OF  THE  IROQUOlS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  185 

1878,  there  was  a  Virgin  selected  from  among  the  Tonawanda 
band  of  the  Seneca  nation  by  the  name  of  Caroline  Parker, 
sister  to  Eli  Parker,  once  in  General  Grant's  staff,  and  Com- 
missioner of  Indian  Affairs,  who  was  ordained  to  the  high 
office  of  Queen,  or  Ge-keah-sau-sa.  She  is  now  the  wife  of  a 
noted  Sachem  of  the  Tuscarora  nation,  Mr.  John  Mount 
Pleasant,  of  no  common  wealth.  She  is  located  about  two 
miles  southwest  of  the  antique  fort  Gah-strau-yea,  or  Kienuka, 
on  the  Tuscarora  reservation,  where  she  ever  held  open  her 
hospitable  house,  not  only  to  the  Iroquois,  but  of  every  nation, 
including  the  pale  faces.  Allegorical  speaking,  she  has  ever 
had  a  kettle  of  hominy  hanging  over  her  fire-place,  ready  to 
appease  the  hunger  of  those  who  trod  her  threshold. 


The  New  Religion. 


About  the  year  1800  a  new  religion  was  introduced  among 
the  Six  Nations,  the  exponent  of  which  alleged  to  have  receiv- 
ed a  revelation  from  the  Great  Spirit,  with  a  commission  to 
preach  to  them  the  new  doctrine  in  which  he  was  instructed. 
This  revelation  was  received  in  circumstances  so  remarkable, 
and  the  precepts  he  sought  to  inculcate  contained  in  themselves 
such  evidences  of  wisdom  and  beneficence  that  he  was  univers- 
ally received  among  them,  not  only  as  a  wise  and  good  man, 
byt  as  one  commissioned  by  the  Great  Spirit  to  become  their 

(23) 


1 86  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

religious  teacher.  The  new  religion,  as  it  has  ever  since  been 
called,  embodied  all  the  precepts  of  the  ancient  faith,  recog- 
nized the  ancient  mode  of  worship  giving  it  a  new  sanction  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  also  comprehend  such  new  doctrines  as 
came  in  aptly,  to  lengthen  out  and  enlarge  the  original  system 
without  impairing  it.  Charges  of  imposture  and  deception 
were  at  first  preferred  against  him,  but  disbelief  of  his  divine 
mission  gradually  subsided,  until  at  the  time  of  his  death  the 
whole  unchristianized  portion  of  the  Six  Nations  had  become 
firm  believers  in  the  new  religion,  which  to  the  present  day- 
has  continued  to  some  extent  as  a  prevailing  faith. 

This  singular  person  who  was  destined  to  obtain  such  a  spir- 
itual sway  over  the  descendants  of  the  ancient  Iroquois  was 
Ga-ne-o-di-yo,  or  "  Handsomelake,"  a  Seneca  sachem  of  the 
highest  class  ;  he  was  born  at  the  Indian  village  of  Ga-no-wau- 
ges,  near  Avon,  about  the  year  1735,  and  .died  at  Onondaga  in 
1815,  where  he  happened  to  be  on  one  of  his  pastoral  visits. 
By  birth  he  was  a  Seneca  of  the  Turtle  clan,  and  a  half  broth- 
er to  the  celebrated  Corn  Planter  by  a  common  father.  The 
most  part  of  his  life  was  spent  in  idleness  and  dissipation,  dur- 
ing which  time,  although  a  sachem  and  ruler  among  the  Sene- 
cas  for  many  years,  and  through  the  most  perilous  time  of 
their  history,  he  acquired  no  particular  reputation.  Reforming 
late  in  life,  in  his  future  career  he  showed  himself  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  superior  talents  and  to  be  animated  by  a  sincere  and 
ardent  desire  for  the  welfare  of  his  race. 

At  this  period  and  for  about  a  century  preceding,  the  pre- 
vailing habit  of  intemperance  among  the  Iroquois  was  the 
fruitful  source  of  their  domestic  troubles  ;  this  in  connection 
with  their  political  disasters  seemed  to  threaten  the  speedy 
extinction  of  their  race.  A  temperance  reformation,  universal 
and  radical,  was  the  main  and  ultimate  object  of  the  mission 
which  he  assumed,  and  upon  which  he  chiefly  used  his  influence 
and  eloquence  through  the  remainder  of  his  life.  To  secnre  a 
more  speedy  reception  of  his  admonitions,  he  clothed  them 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1 87 

with  divine  sanction,  to  strengthen  their  moral  principles,  he 
enforced  anew  the  precepts  of  the  ancient  faith  ;  and  to  insure 
obedience  to  his  teachings,  he  held  over  the  wicked  the  terrors 
of  eternal  punishment.  Going  from  village  to  village  among 
the  several  nations  of  the  league,  with  the  exception  of  the 
christainized  Oneidas  and  Tuscaroras,  continuing  his  visits  from 
year  to  year,  preaching  the  new  doctrine  with  remarkable  effect. 
Many  abandoned  their  dissolute  habits  and  became  sober  and 
moral  men  ;  discord  and  contentions  gave  place  to  harmony 
and  order,  and  vagrancy  and  sloth  to  ambition  and  industry. 
The  origin  of  this  project  has  at  times  been  ascribed  to 
Cornplanter,  as  a  means  to  increase  his  own  influence,  but 
this  is  not  only  improbable  but  is  expressly  denied.  The  mo- 
tives by  which  Handsomelake  claimed  to  be  actuated  were 
entirely  of  a  religious  and  benevolent  character,  and  in  pursu- 
ance of  the  injunctions  of  his  spiritual  guides. 

At  the  time  of  his  supernatural  visitation,  about  the  year 
1800,  Handsomelake  resided  at  the  village  of  Cornplanter,  on 
the  Alleghany  river  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  As  he  ex- 
plained the  case  to  his  brethren,  having  lain  ill  for  a  long  time 
he  had  given  up  all  hope  of  recovery  and  resigned  himself  to 
die.  When  in  the  hourly  expectation  of  death,  three  spiritual 
beings  in  the  form  of  men,  sent  by  the  Great  Spirit  appeared 
before  him,  each  carried  in  his  hand  a  shrub  bearing  different 
kinds  of  berries,  which,  having  been  given  him  to  eat,  he  was 
by  their  miraculous  virtue  immediately  restored  to  health. 
They  afterward  revealed  to  him  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit 
upon  a  variety  of  subjects,  and  particularly  in  relation  to  the 
prevailing  intemperance,  commissioning  him  to  promulgate 
these  doctrines  among  the  league,  causing  him  to  see  realities 
of  the  evil-minded,  and  to  behold  with  his  mortal  eyes  the  pun- 
ishment inflicted  upon  the' wicked,  that  he  might  with  more 
propriety  warn  his  people  of  their  impending  destiny.  He  was 
also  permitted  to  behold  the  realm  and  felicities  of  the  Heav- 
enly residence  of  the  virtuous.  With  his  mind  thus  prepared, 


1 88  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAAVS 

and  stored  with  divine  precepts,  and  with  his  zeal  enkindled  by 
the  dignity  of  his  mission,  Handsomelake  at  once  commenced 
his  labors. 

After  his  death,  Sase-ha-wa,  (Johnson)  of  Tonawanda,  was 
appointed  his  successor.  The  first  and  only  person  ever  "  rais- 
ed up"  by  the  Iroquois,  and  invested  with  the  office  of  a  su- 
preme religious  instructor — :a  sincere  believer  in  the  verity  of 
Handsomelake's  mission,  and  an  eminently  pure  and  virtuous 
man — Sase-ha-wa  (Johnson)  has  devoted  himself  with  zeal  and 
fidelity  to  the  duties  of  his  office,  as  a  spiritual  guide  and 
teacher  of  the  Iroquois.  He  was  a  grand-son  of  Handsomlake, 
a  nephew  of  Red  Jacket,  and  was  born  at  the  Indian  village  of 
Ga-no-wan-ges,  near  Avon,  about  the  year  1774. 

At  the  condolence  and  religious  councils  of  the  Iroquois, 
which  are  still  held  at  intervals  of  a  few  years,  among  the  scat- 
tered descendants  of  the  long  house,  it  has  long  been  custom- 
ary to  set  apart  portions  of  two  or  three  days  to  listen  to  .a 
discourse  from  Johnson  upon  -the  new  religion.  On  these  oc- 
casions he  explains  minutely  the  circumstance  attending  the 
supernatural  visitation  of  Handsomelake,  and  delivers  the  in- 
structions, word  for  word,  which  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
give  during  his  own  ministration.  Handsomelake  professed  to 
repeat  the  messages  which  were  given  to  him  from  time  to  time 
by  the  celestial  visitants,  with  whom  he  alleged  to  be  in  fre- 
quent communication,  and  whom  he  addressed  as  his  spiritual 
guardian,  thus  enforcing  his  precepts  as  the  direct  command  of 
the  Great  Spirit. 

At  their  councils  and  religious  festivals,  it  was  customary  for 
the  chiefs  and  keepers  of  the  faith  to  express  their  confidence 
in  the  new  religion,  and  to  exhort  others  to  strengthen  their 
belief.  The  late  Abraham  La  Fort,  an  educated  Onondaga 
Sachem,  thus  expressed  himself  upon  this  subject  at  a  condol- 
ence council  of  the  league,  held  at  Tonawanda  as  late  as 
October,  1847. 

"Let  us  observe  the  operations  of    nat  '  lie  }  car  is  di- 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  189 

vided  into  seasons,  and  every  season  has  its  fruits.  The  birds 
of  the  air,  though  clothed  in  the  same  dress  of  feathers,  arc 
divided  into  many  classes,  and  one  class  is  never  seen  to  asso- 
ciate or  intermingle  with  any  but  its  own  kind.  So  with  the 
beasts  of  the  field  and  woods.  Each  and  every  class  and  spe- 
cie have  their  own  separate  rules  by  which  they  seem  to  be 
governed,  and  by  which  their  actions  are  regulated.  These 
distinctions,  classes  and  colors  the  Great  Spirit  has  seen  fit  to 
make.  But  the  rule  does  not  stop  here.  It  is  universal.  It 
embraces  man  also.  The  human  race  was  created  and  divided 
into  different  classes,  which  were  placed  separate  from  each 
other— having  different  customs,  manners,  laws  and  religions. 
To  the  Indians  it  seems  that  no  more  religion  had  originally 
been  than  was  to  be  found  in  the  operations  of  nature,  which 
taught  him  that  there  was  a  Supreme  Being,  all  powerful  and 
all  wise ;  and  on  this  account,  as  well  as  on  account  of  his 
great  goodness,  they  learned  to  love  and  reverence  Him.  But 
these  later  times,  when  the  restless  and  ambitious  spirit  of  the 
whiteskinncd  race  had  crossed  the  boundary  line  and  made  in- 
roads upon  the  manners,  customs  and  primitive  religion  of  the 
Indian,  the  Great  Spirit  determined  to  and  through  His  servant, 
Handsomelake,  did  reveal  his  will  to  the  Indians.  The  sub- 
stance of  that  will  was  no  more  than  to  confirm  their  ancient 
belief  that  they  were  entitled  to  a  different  religion — a  religion 
adapted  to  their  customs,  manners  and  ways  of  thinking." 

As  the  discourses  delivered  by  Johnson  from  time  to  time 
contains  a  very  full  exposition  of  their  ancient  beliefs  and 
mode  of  worship,  together  with  the  recent  views  introduced 
by  Handsomelake,  mingled  up  in  one  collection,  presenting 
probably  a  better  idea  of  their  ethical  and  religious  system 
than  could  be  conveyed  in  any  other  manner,  it  is  given 
entire,  and  will  explain  itself  as  delivered,  thus: 

"  The  Mohawks,  the  Onondagas,  the  Senecas,  and  our  chil- 
dren, the  Oneidas,  Cayugas  and  Tuscaroras,  have  assembled 
here  to-day  to  listen  to  the  repetition  of  the  will  of  the  Great 


I QO  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

Spirit,  as  communicated  to  us  from  heaven  through  His  servant, 
Handsomelake. 

"  Chiefs,  warriors,  women  and  children,  we  give  you  a  cordial 
welcome.  The  sun  has  advanced  far  in  its  path,  and  I  am 
warned  that  my  time  to  instruct  you  is  limited  to  the  meridian 
sun.  I  must  hasten  to  perform  my  duty.  Turn  you  minds 
to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  listen  with  strict  attention.  Think 
seriously  upon  what  I  am  about  to  speak.  Reflect  upon  it 
well,  that  it  may  benefit  you  and  your  children.  I  thank  the 
Great  Spirit  that  He  has  spared  the  lives  of  so  many  of  you  to 
be  present  on  this  occasion.  I  return  thanks  to  Him  that  my 
life  is  yet  spared.  The  Great  Spirit  looked  down  from  heaven 
upon  the  suffering  and  the  wanderings  of  the  red  children. 
He  saw  that  they  had  greatly  decreased  and  degenerated.  He 
saw  the  ravages  of  the  firewater  among  them.  He  therefore 
raised  up  for  them  a  sacred  inspiration,  who,  having  lived  and 
traveled  among  them  for  sixteen  years,  was  called  from  his 
labors  to  enjoy  eternal  felicity  with  the  Great  Spirit  in  Heaven. 
Be  patient  while  I  speak.  I  cannot  at  all  times  arrange  and 
prepare  my  thoughts  with  precision.  But  I  will  relate 
what  my  memory  bears. 

"  It  was  in  the  month  of  June  when  Handsomelake  was  yet 
sick.  He  had  been  ill  for  years.  He  was  accustomed  to  tell 
us  that  he  had  resigned  himself  to  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit. 
1 1  nightly  returned  my  thanks  to  the  Great  Spirit,'  said  he, 
1  as  my  eyes  were  gladdened  at  evening  by  the  sight  of  the 
stars  of  heaven.  I  viewed  the  ornamental  heaven  at  evening 
through  the  opening  in  the  roof  of  my  lodge,  with  grateful 
feelings  to  my  Creator.  I  had  no  assurance  that  I  should 
at  the  next  evening  contemplate  His  works.  For  this  reason 
my  acknowledgment  to  Him  was  more  fervent  and  sincere. 
When  night  was  gone,  and  the  sun  again  shed  its  light  upon 
the  earth,  I  saw  and  acknowledged  in  the  return  of  day  His 
continued  goodness  to  me  and  to  all  mankind.  At  length,  I 
began  to  have  an  inward  conviction  that  my  end  was  near. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  191 

I  resolved  once  more  to  exchange  friendly  words  with  my  peo- 
ple, and   I   sent   my  daughter  to  summon   my  brothers  Corn- 
planter   and    Blacksnake.'     She  hastened  to  do    his  bidding, 
but    before  she  returned  he  had  fallen  into  insensibility  and 
apparent   death.     Blacksnake,  upon    returning    to    the   lodge, 
hastened  to  his  brother's  couch  and  discovered  that  portions 
of  his  body  were  yet  warm.     This  happened   at  early  day  be- 
fore the  morning  dew  had  dried.     When  the  sun  had  advanced 
half   way  to  the    meridian    his  heart  began   to  beat,  and    he 
opened  his  eyes.     Blacksnake  asked  him  if  he  was  in  his  right 
mind,  but  he  answered  not.     At  meridian  he  again  opened  his 
eyes,  and  the  same  question  was  repeated.     He  then  answered 
and    said,    'A  man  spoke  from  without  and  some  one  might 
come  forth.     I   looked  and  saw  some  men  standing  without. 
I  rose",  and  as  I  attempted  to  step  over  the  threshold  of  my 
door  I  stumbled,  and  should   have  fallen  had  they  not  caught 
me.     They  were  three  holy  men  who   looked   alike  and  were 
dressed  alike.     The  paint  they  wore  seemed  but  a  day  old. 
Each  held  in  his  hand  a  shrub  bearing  different  kinds  of  fruits. 
One  of  them  addressing  me  said,    'We  have  c©me  to  comfort 
and  relieve  you  ;  take  of  these  berries  and  eat ;  they  will  restore 
you  to  health ;  we  have  been  witnesses  of  your  lengthy  illness ; 
we  have  seen  with  what   resignation  you  have  given  yourself 
up  to   the  Great  Spirit ;  we   have  heard   your  daily  return  of 
thanks  ;    He  has  heard  them  all ;    His  ear  has  ever  been  open 
to  hear;  you  was  thankful  for  the  return  of  night,  when  you 
could   contemplate   the    beauties   of   heaven ;  you  was  accus- 
tomed to  look  upon  the  moon  as  it  coursed  in  its  mighty  paths  ; 
when  there  were  no  hopes  to  you  that  you  would- again  behold 
these    things,  you  willingly  resigned    yourself  to  the  mind  of 
the  Great  Spirit ;  this  is  right ;  since   the  Great   Spirit  made 
the  earth   and   put  man  upon  it,  we  have  been  His  constant 
servants  to  guard  anck^rotect  His  works;  there  are  four  of  us ; 
some  other  time  you  will  be  permitted  to  see  the  other  ;  the 
Great  Spirit    is  pleased  to    know  your  patient  resignation  to 


192  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

His  will ;  as  a  reward  for  your  devotion  He  has  cured  your 
sickness  ;  tell  your  people  to  assemble  to-morrow,  and  at  morn 
go  in  and  speak  to  them.'  After  they  had  further  revealed 
their  intentions  concerning  him  they  departed. 

"At  the  time  appointed  Handsomelake  appeared  at  the 
council  and  thus  addressed  the  people  upon  the  revelations 
which  had  been  made  to  him : 

'  I  have  a  message  to  deliver  to  you.  The  servant  of  the 
Great  Spirit  has  told  me  that  I  should  yet  live  upon  the  earth 
to  become  an  instructor  to  my  people.  Since  the  creation  of 
man  the  Great  Spirit  has  often  raised  up  men  to  teach  his 
children  what  they  should  do  to  please  him;  but  they  have 
been  unfaithful  to  their  trust.  I  hope  I  shall  profit  by  their 
example.  Your  Creator  has  seen  that  you  have  transgressed 
greatly  against  His  laws.  He  made  men  pure  and  good.*  He 
did  not  intend  that  he  should  sin.  You  create  a  great  sin  in 
taking  the  firewater.  The  Great  Spirit  say's  you  must  abandon 
this  enticing  habit.  Your  ancestors  have  brought  great  misery 
upon  you.  They  first  took  the  firewater  of  the  white  man,  and 
entailed  upon  you  its  consequences.  None  of  them  have  gone 
to  heaven.  The  firewater  does  not  belong  to  you.  It  was 
made  by  the  white  man  beyond  the  great  waters.  For  the 
white  man  it  is  a  medicine;  but  they,  too,  have  violated  the 
will  of  their  Maker.  The  Great  Spirit  says  drunkenness  is  a 
great  crime,  and  He  forbids  you  to  indulge  in  this  evil  habit. 
His  command  is  to  the  old  and  young.  The  abandonment  of 
its  use  will  relieve  much  of  your  sufferings,  and  greatly  increase 
the  comforts  and  happiness  of  your  children.  The  Great 
Spirit  is  grieved  that  so  much  crime  and  wickedness  should  de- 
file the  earth.  There  are  many  evils  which  He  never  intended 
should  exist  among  His  red  children.  The  Great  Spirit  has 
for  many  wise  reasons  withheld  from  man  the  number  of  his 
days,  but  He  has  not  left  him  without  *i  guide,  for  He  has 
pointed  out  to  him  the  path  in  which  he  may  safely  tread  the 
journey  of  life. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1 93 

"  When  the  Great  Spirit  made  man  He  also  made  woman. 
He  instituted  marriage,  and  enjoined  upon  them  to  love  each 
other  and  be  faithful.  It  is  pleasing  to  Him  to  see  men  and 
women  obey  His  will.  Your  Creator  abhors  a  deceiver  and  a 
hypocrite.  By  obeying  His  commands  you  will  die  an  easy 
and  happy  death.  When  the  Great  Spirit  instituted  marriage 
He  ordained  to  bless  those  who  were  faithful  with  children. 
Some  women  are  unfaithful  and  others  become  so  by  misfor- 
tune. Such  have  great  opportunities  to  do  much  good.  There 
are  many  orphans  and  poor  children  whom  they  can  adopt  as 
their  own.  If  you  tie  up  the  clothes  of  an  orphan  child  the 
Great  Spirit  will  notice  it  and  reward  you  for  it.  Should  an 
orphan  ever  cross  your  path  be  kind  to  him  and  treat  him 
with  tenderness,  for  this  is  right.  Parents  must  constantly 
teach  their  children  morality  and  reverence  for  their  Creator. 
Parents  must  also  guard  their  children  against  improper  mar- 
riages. They,  having  much  experience,  should  select  a  suitable 
match  for  their  child.  When  the  parents  of  both  parties  have 
agreed,  then  bring  the' young,  pair  together  and  let  them  know 
what  good  their  parents  have  designed  for  them.  If  in  time 
they  so  far  disagree  that  they  cannot  possibly  live  contented 
and  happy  with  each  other  they  may  separate  in  mutual  good 
feeling,  and  in  this  it  is  no  wrong. 

'  \Vhen  a  child  is  born  to  a  husband  and  wife  they  must  give 
great  thanks  to  the  Great  Spirit,  for  it  is  His  gift  and  an  evi- 
dence of  His  kindness.  Let  parents  instruct  their  children  in 
their  duty  to  the  Great  Spirit,  to  their  parents  and  to  their 
fellowmen.  Children  should  obey  their  parents  and  guardians, 
and  submit  to  them  in  all  things.  Disobedient  children  occa- 
sion great  pain  and  misery.  They  wound  their  parents'  feelings 
and  often  drive  them  to  desperation,  cause  them  great  distress 
and  final  admission  into  the  place  of  evil  spirit.  The  marriage 
obligations  should  generate  good  to  all  who  have  assumed 
them.  Let  the  married  be  faithful  to  each  other,  that  when 
they  die  it  may  be  in  peace.  Children  should  never  permit 

(24) 


IQ4  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

their  parents  to  suffer  in  their  old  age.  Be  kind  to  them,  and 
support  them.  The  Great  Spirit  requires  all  children  to  love, 
revere  and  obey  their  parents.  To  do  this  is  highly  pleasing 
to  Him.  The  happiness  of  parents  is  greatly  increased  by  the 
affection  and  the  attention  of  their  children.  To  abandon  a 
wife  or  children  is  a  great  wrong,  and  produces  many  evils. 
It  is  wrong  for  a  father  or  mother-in-law  to  vex  a  son  or 
daughter-in-law,  but  they  should  use  them  as  if  they  were 
their  own  children.  It  often  happens  that  parents  hold  angry 
disputes  over  their  infant  child.  This  is  also  a  great  sin.  The 
infant  hears  and  comprehends  the  angry  words  of  its  parents. 
It  feels  bad  and  lonely.  It  can  see  for  itself  no  happiness  in 
prospect.  It  concludes  to  return  to  its  Maker.  It  wants  a 
happy  home,  and  dies.  The  parents  then  weep  because  their 
child  has  left  them.  You  must  put  this  evil  practice  from 
among  you  if  you  would  live  happy. 

'The  Great  Spirit  when  He  made  the  earth  never  intended 
that  it  should  be  made  merchandise,  but  His  will  is  that  all 
His  creatures  should  enjoy  it  equally.'  Your  chiefs  have  vio- 
lated and  betrayed  their  trust  by  selling  lands.  Nothing  is 
now  left  of  our  once  large  possessions  save  a  few  small  reser- 
vations. Chiefs  and  aged  men,  you,  as  men,  have  no  lands  to 
sell.  You  occupy  and  possess  tract  in  trust  for  your  children. 
You  should  hold  that  trust  sacred,  lest  your  children  are  driven 
from  their  homes  by  your  unsafe  conduct.  Whoever  sells 
land  offends  the  Great  Spirit,  and  must  expect  a  great  punish- 
ment after  death." 

Johnson  here  suspended  the  naration  of  the  discourse  of 
Handsomelake's,  and  thus  addressed  the  council : 

"  Chiefs,  keepers  of  the  faith,  warriors,  women  and  children—- 
You all  know  that  our  religion  teaches  that  the  early  day  is 
dedicated  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  that  the  late  day  is  granted 
to  the  spirits  of  the  dead.  It  is  now  meridian,  and  1  must 
close.  Preserve  in  your  minds  that  which  has  been  said. 
Accept  my  thanks  for  your  kind  and  patient  attention.  It  is 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  1 95 

meet  that  I  should  also  return  my  thanks  to  the  Great  Spirit 
that  he  has  assisted  me  thus  far  in  my  feeble  frame  to  instruct 
you.  We  ask  you  all  to  come  up  again  to-morrow  at  early 
day,  to  hear  what  further  may  be  said.  I  have  done," 

The  next  morning,  after  the  council  had  been  opened  in  the 
usual  manner,  Johnson  thus  continued  : 

"  Relatives,  uncover  now  your  heads  and  listen.  The  clay 
has  thus  far  advanced,  and  again  gathered  around  the  council- 
fire  I  see  around  me  the  several  nations  of  the  long  house. 
This  gives  me  great  joy.  I  see  also  seated  around  me  my 
counselors  (keepers  of  the  faith),  who  have  been  regularly 
appointed,  as  is  the  custom  of  our  religion.  Greetings  have- 
been  exchanged  with  each  other.  Thanks  have  been  returned 
to  Handsomelake.  Thanks  also  have  been  returned  to  our 
Creator  by  the  council  now  assembled.  At  this  moment  the 
Great  Spirit  is  looking  upon  this  assembly.  He  hears  our 
words,  knows  our  thoughts,  and  is  always  pleased  to  see  us 
gathered  together  of  good.  The  sun  is  now  high,  and  soon  it 
will  reach  the  middle  heavens.  I  must  therefore  make  haste. 
Listen  attentively,  and  consider  well  what  you  shall  hear. 
I  return  thanks  to  our  Creator,  that  He  has  spared  your  lives 
through  the  dangers  of.  the  darkness.  I  salute  and  return  my 
thanks  to  the  four  Celestial  Beings  who  have  communicated 
what  I  am  about  to  say  to  you.  I  return  thanks  to  my  grand- 
father (Handsomelake),  from  whom  you  first  heard  what  I  am 
about  to  speak.  We  all  feel  his  loss.  We  miss  him  at  our 
councils.  I  now  occupy  his  place  before  you,  but  I  am  con- 
scious that  I  have  not  the  power  which  he  possessed. 

"  Counselors,  warriors,  mother  sand  children — Listen  to  good 
instruction.  Consider  it  well.  Lay  it  up  in  your  hearts,  and 
forget  it  not.  Our  Creator  when  He  made  us  designed  that 
we  should  live  by  hunting.  It  sometimes  happens  that  a  man 
goes  out  for  to  hunt,  leaving  his  wife  with  his  friends.  After 
a  long  absence  he  returns  and  finds  tli.it  his  wife  has  taken 
another  husband.  The  Great  Spirit  says  this  is  a  great  sin, 
and  must  be  put  from  among  us. 


196  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

"  The  four  messengers  further  said  that  it  was  wrong  for  a 
mother  to  punish  a  child  with  a  rod.  It  is  not  right  to  punish 
much,  and  our  Creator  never  intended  that  children  should  be 
punished  with  a  whip  or  be  used  with  much  violence.  In  pun- 
ishing a  refractory  child  water  .only  is  necessary,  and  it  is  suffi- 
cient. Plunge  them  under.  This  is  not  wrong.  Whenever  a 
child  promises  to  do  better  the  punishment  must  cease.  It  is 
wrong  to  continue  it  after  promises  of  amendment  are  made. 
Thus  they  said. 

"  It  is  right  and  proper  always  to  look  upon  the  dead.  Let 
your  face  be  brought  near  to  theirs,  and  address  them.  Let 
the  dead  know  that  their  absence  is  regretted  by  their  friends, 
and  that  they  grieve  for  their  death.  Let  the  dead  know,  too, 
how  their  surviving  friends  intend  to  live.  Let  them  know 
whether  they  will  so  conduct  themselves  that  they  will  meet 
them  again  in  the  future  wrorld.  The  dead  will  hear  and 
remember.  Thus  they  said. 

"  Continue  to  listen  whiie  I  proceed  to  relate  what  further 
they  said.  Our  Creator  made  the  earth.  Upon  it  He  placed 
man,  and  gave  him  certain  rules  of  conduct.  It  pleased  Him 
also  to  give  them  many  kinds  of  amusement.  He  also  ordered 
that  the  earth  should  produce  all  that  is  good  for  man.  So 
long  as  he  remains,  it  will  not  cease  to  yield.  Upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground  berries  of  various  kinds  are  produced.  It 
is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  when  they  ripen  we  should 
return  our  thanks  to  Him,  and  have  a  public  rejoicing  for  the 
continuance  of  these  blessings.  He  made  everything  which 
we  live  upon,  and  requires  us  to  be  thankful  at  all  times  for 
the  continuance  of  His  favors.  When  our  life  (corn,  &c.), 
has  again  appeared,  it  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  we 
assemble  for  a  general  thanksgiving.  It  is  His  will  also  that 
II  is  children  be  brought  and  to  participate  in  the  feather 
dance.  Your  feast  must  consist  of  the  new  production.  It  is 
proper  at  these  times,  should  any  present  not  have  their  names 
published,  or  any  changes  have  been  made,  to  announce  them 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  197 

then.  The  festival  must  last  four  days.  Thus  they  said. 
Upon  the  first  day  must  be  performed  the  feather  dance. 
This  ceremony  must  take  place  in  the  early  day,  and  cease  at 
the  middle  day.  In  the  same  manner,  upon  the  second  day,  is 
to  be  performed  the  Thanksgiving  dance.  On  the  third,  the 
Thanksgiving  concert.  Ah-do-weh  is  to  be  introduced.  The 
fourth  day  is  set  apart  for  the  peach-stone  game.  All  these 
ceremonies  instituted  by  our  Creator  must  be  commenced  at 
early  day,  and  cease  at  the  middle  day.  At  all  these  times  we 
are  required  to  return  thanks  to  our  Grandfather  Heno  (Thunder) 
and  his  assistants.  To  them  is  assigned  the  duty  of  watch- 
ing over  the  earth  and  all  its  produces  for  our  good.  The 
great  Feather  and  Thanksgiving  dances  are  the  appropriate 
ceremonies  of  Thanksgiving  to  the  Ruler  and  Maker  of  all 
things.  The  Thanksgiving  concert  belongs  appropriately  to 
our  grandfathers.  In  it  we  return  thanks  to  them.  During 
the  performance  of  this  ceremony  we  are  required  also  to  give 
them  the  smoke  of  tobacco.  Again  we  must  at  this  time  re- 
turn thanks  to  our  mother — the  earth — for  she  is  our  relative. 
We  must  also  return  thanks  to  our  life  and  its  sister.  All 
these  things  are  required  to  be  done  by  the  light  of  the  sun. 
It  must  not  be  protracted  unt-il  the  sun  has  hid  its  face  and 
darkness  surrounds  all  things. 

"  Continue  to  listen.  We  have  a  change  of  season.  We 
have  a  season  of  cold.  This  is  the  hunting  season.  It  is  also 
one  in  which  the  people  can  amuse  themselves.  Upon  the 
fifth  day  of  the  new  moon  Nis-go-wuk-na  (about  February  1st), 
we  are  required  to  commence  the  annual  jubilee  of  thanksgiv- 
ing to  our  Creator.  At  this  festival  all  can  give  evidence  of 
their  devotion  to  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  by  participating 
in  all  of  its  ceremonies. 

<k  Continue  to  listen.  The  four  Messengers  of  the  Great 
Spirit  have  always  watched  over  us,  and  have  ever  seen  what 
was  transpiring  among  men.  At  some  times  Handsomelake 
\va.s  transported  by  them  to  the  regions  above.  He  looked 


198  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

down  upon  the  earth  and  saw  an  assembly.     Out  of  it  came  a 
man.      His    garments   were    torn,    tattered    and    filthy.      His 
whole  appearance  indicated  great   misery  arid   poverty.     They 
asked   him   how  this  spectacle  appeared  to  him.     He  replied 
that  it  was  hard  to   look  upon.     They  then  told  him  that  the 
man  he  saw  was  a  drunkard  ;  that   he  had  taken  the  firewater 
and  it  had  reduced  him  to  poverty.     Again  he  looked  and  saw 
a  woman,  seated  on  the  ground.     She  was  constantly  engaged 
in    gathering   up  and  secreting  about  her  person   her  wrorldly 
effects.     They  said   the  woman  you  see   is   inhospitable.     She 
is  selfish  to  spare  anything,  and  will   never  leave  her  worldly 
goods.     She  can   never  pass  from  earth  to  heaven.     Tell  this 
to  your  people.     Again  he  looked,  and  saw  a  man  carrying  in 
each  hand  large  pieces  of  meat.     He  went  about  the  assembly 
to  give  each  a  piece.     This  man  they  said  is  blessed,  for  he  is 
hospitable  and  kind.     He   looked   again,  and  saw  streams  of 
blood.     They  said  thus  will  the  earth  be  if  the  firewater  is  not 
put   from  among  you.     Brother  will  kill  brother,  and   friend 
kill   friend.     Again  they  told   him  to  look   towards  the  east. 
He  obeyed  as  far  as  his  vision  reached.     He  saw  the  increasing 
smoke  of  numberless  distilleries  arising  and  shutting  out  the 
light  of  the  sun.     It  was  a  horrible  spectacle  to  witness.     They 
told   him  that  here  was  the  place  that  manufactured  the  fire- 
water.    Again  he  looked,  and  saw  a   costly  house,  made  and 
furnished   by  the  pale  faces.     It  was  a  house   of  confinement 
where  were  fetters,  ropes  and  whips.     They  said  those  who  per- 
sisted in  the  use  of  firewater  would  fall  into  this.     Our  Creator 
commands  us  to  put  this  destructive  vice  far  from  us.     Again 
he   looked  and  saw  various  assemblages.     Some  of  them  were 
uihrilling  to  listen  to  instruction.     They  were  rioters,  and  took 
great  pride  in  drinking  the  strong  waters.     He  observed  another 
group  who  were    half  inclined  to  hear,  but  the  temptations  of 
vice  that    surrounded  them   allured   them    back',  and   they  also 
revelled  in  the  fumes  of  the  firewater.      He  saw  another  assem- 
blage who  had  met  to  hear  instruction.     This  they  said   was 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX    NATIONS.  199 

pleasing  to  the  Great  Spirit.  He  loves  those  who  will  listen 
and  obey.  It  has  grieved  Him  that  His  children  are  now 
divided  by  separate  interests,  and  are  pursuing  so  many  paths. 
It  pleases  Him  to  see  His  people  live  together  in  harmony 
and  quiet.  The  firewater  creates  many  dissensions  and  divisions 
among  us.  They  said  the  use  of  it  would  cause  many  to  die 
unnatural  deaths.  Many  will  be  exposed  to  cold  and  freeze. 
Many  will  be  burned,  and  others  will  be  drowned  while  under 
the  influence  of  the  firewater. 

"  Friends  and  relations,  all  these  things  have  often  hap- 
pened. How  many  of  our  people  have  frozen  to  death  ;  how 
many  have  burned  to  death  ;  how  many  have  been  drowned 
while  under  the  influence  of  the  strong  water.  The  punish- 
ment of  those  who  use' the  firewater  commences  while  they  are 
yet  on  the  earth.  Many  are  now  thrown  into  houses  of  con- 
finement by  the  pale  faces.  I  repeat  to  you  the  Ruler  of  us 
all  requires  us  to  unite  and  put  this  evil  from  among  us.  Some 
say  the  use  of  the  firewater  is  not  wrong,  and  that  it  is  food. 
Let  those  who  do  not  believe  it  is  wrong  make  this  experiment: 
Let  all  who  use  the  firewater  assemble  and  organize  into  a 
council,  and  those  who  do  not  into  another  council  near  them. 
A  great  difference  will  then  be  discovered.  The  council  of 
drunkards  will  end  in  a  riot  and  tumult,  while  the  other  will 
have  harmony  and  quiet.  It  is  hard  to  think  of  the  great  prev- 
alence of  this  evil  among  us.  Reform,  and  put  it  from  among 
you.  Many  resolve  to  use  the  firewater  until  near  death,  when 
they  will  repent.  If  they  do  this  nothing  can  save  them  from 
destruction,  for  medicine  can  then  have  no  power.  Thus  they 
said. 

"All  men  were  made  equal  by  the  Great  Spirit,  but  He  has 
given  them  a  variety  of  gifts.  To  some  a  pretty  face,  to  others 
an  ugly  one ;  to  some  a  comely  form,  to  others  a  deformed 
figure  ;  some  are  fortunate  in  collecting  around  them  worldly 
goods  ;  but  you  are  all  entitled  to  the  same  privileges,  and 
therefore  must  put  pride  from  among  you.  You  are  not  your 


200  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

own  maker,  nor  the  builders  of  your  own  fortunes ;  all  things 
are  the  gifts  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  to  Him  must  be  returned 
thanks  for  their  bestowal ;  He  alone  must  be  acknowledged  as 
the  giver.  It  has  pleased  Him  to  make  differences  among 
men,  but  it  is  wrong  for  one  man  to  exalt  himself  above 
another.  Love  each  other,  for  you  are  all  brothers  and  sisters 
of  the  same  great  family.  The  Great  Spirit  enjoins  upon  all  to 
observe  hospitality  and  kindness,  especially  to  the  needy  and 
helpless,  for  this  is  pleasing  to  Him.  If  a  stranger  wanders 
about  your  abode,  speak  to  him  with  kind  words ;  be  hospitable 
toward  him  ;  welcome  him  to  your  home,  and  forget  not  always 
to  mention  the  Great  Spirit.  In  the  morning  give  thanks  to 
the  Great  Spirit  for  the  return  of  day  and  the  light  of  the  sun. 
At  night  renew  your  thanks  to  Him  that  His  ruling  power  has 
preserved  you  from  harm  during  the  day  and  that  night  has 
again  come  in  which  you  may  rest  your  weaned  bodies, 

"The  four  messengers  said  further  to  Handsomelake,  'Tell 
your  people,  and  particularly  the  keeper  of  the  faith,  to  be 
strong-minded  and  adhere  to  the  true  faith.  We  fear  the  evil- 
minded  will  go  among  them  with  tempations.  He  may  intro- 
duce the  fiddle ;  he  may  bring  cards  and  leave  them  among  you  ; 
the  use  of  these  is  a  great  sin.  Let  the  people  be  on  their 
guard  and  the  keepers  of  the  faith  be  watchful  and  vigilant 
that  none  of  these  evils  may  find  their  way  among  the  people. 
Let  the  keepers  of  the  faith  preserve  the  law  of  moral  conduct 
in  all  its  purity.  When  meetings  are  to  be  held  for  instruction 
and  the  people  are  preparing  to  go,  the  evil-minded  is  then 
busy.  He  goes  from  one  to  another  whispering  many  tempta- 
tions, by  which  to  keep  them  away.  He  will  even  follow  per- 
sons into  the  door  of  the  council  and  induce  some  at  that  time 
to  bend  their  steps  away ;  many  resist  until  they  have  entered, 
and  then  leave.  This  habit  once  indulged  in,  obtains  fast  hold 
and  the  evil  propensity  increases  with  age.  This  is  a  great  sin, 
and  should  be  at  once  abandoned.  Thus  they  said.' 

"Speak  evil   of  no  one;  if  you  can  say  no  good  of  a  person, 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  2OI 

then  be  silent ;  let  all  be  mindful  of  this,  for  these  are  the  words 
of  our  Creator.  Let  all  strive  to  cultivate  friendship  with 
those  who  surround  them.  This  is  pleasing  to  the  Great  Spirit. 

"Counselors,  warriors,  women  and  children — I  shall  now 
rest.  I  thank  you  all  for  you  kind  and  patient  attention.  I 
thank  the  Great  Spirit  that  He  has  spared  the  lives  of  so  many 
of  us  to  witness  this  day.  I  request  you  all  to  come  up  again 
to-morrow  at  early  day.  Let  us  all  hope  that  until  we  meet 
again  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  us  all  may  be  kind  to  us  and 
preserve  our  lives, ,  na-ho." 

The  council  on  the  following  day  was  opened  with  a  few 
short  speeches  by  some  of  the  chiefs  or  keepers  of  the  faith, 
returning  thanks  for  the  privileges  of  the  occasion,  as  usual  at 
councils ;  after  which  Johnson,  resuming  his  discourse,  spoke  as 
follows : 

"  Friends  and  relatives,  uncover  now  you  heads.  Continue 
to  listen  to  my  rehearsal  of  the  saying  communicated  to  Hand- 
somelake  by  the  four  messengers  of  the  Great  Spirit.  We 
have  met  again  around  the  council  fire.  We  have  followed  the 
ancient  custom  and  greeted  each  other.  This  is  right  and 
highly  pleasing  to  our  Maker.  He  now  looks  down  upon  this 
assemblage ;  He  sees  us  all ;  He  is  informed  of  the  cause  of 
our  gathering,  and  it  is  pleasing  to  Him.  Life  is  uncertain; 
while  we  live  let  us  love  each  other ;  let  us  sympathize  always 
with  the  suffering  and  needy;  let  us  also  always  rejoice  with 
those  who  are  glad.  This  is  now  the  third  day,  and  my  time 
for  speaking  to  you  is  drawing  to  a  close.  It  will  be  a  long  time 
before  we  meet  again ;  many  moons  and  seasons  will  have 
passed  before  the  sacred  council-brand  be  again  uncovered ;  be 
watchful,  therefore,  and  remember  faithfully  what  you  may  now 
hear. 

"In  discoursing  yesterday  upon  the  duties  of  the  keepers  of 
the  faith,  I  omitted  some  important  things.  The  Great  Spirit 
created  this  office ;  He  designed  that  its  duties  should  nevcr 
end.  There  are  some  who  are  selected  and  set  apart  by  our 

(25) 


202  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

Maker  to  perform  the  duties  of  this  office;  it  is  therefore  their 
duty  to  be  faithful,  and  to  be  always  watching.  These  duties 
they  must  ever  perform  during  their  lives.  The  faithful  when 
they  leave' this  earth  will  have  a  pleasant  path  to  travel.  The 
same  office  exists  in  heaven,  the  home  of  our  Creator.  They 
will  take  the  same  place  when  they  arrive  there.  There  are 
dreadful  penalties  awiting  those  keepers  of  the  faith  who  re- 
sign their  office  without  a  cause.  Thus  they  said. 

"  It  was  the  original  intention  of  our  Maker  that  all  our 
feasts  of  thanksgiving  should  be  seasoned  with  the  flesh  of 
wild  animals,  but  we  are  surrounded  by  the  pale  faces,  and  in 
a  short  time  the  woods  will  all  be  removed ;  then  there  will 
be  no  game  for  the  Indians  to  use  in  their  feasts.  The  four 
messengers  said  in  consequence  of  this  that  we  might  use  the 
flesh  of  domestic  animals.  This  will  not  be  wrong.  The  pale 
faces  are  pressing  upon  every  side.  You  must  therefore  live 
as  they  do.  How  far  you  can  do  so  without  sin  I  will  now  tell 
you.  You  may  grow  cattle  and  for  yourselves  a  comfortable 
dwelling  house.  This  is  not  sin,  and  it  is  all  you  can  safely 
adopt  of  the  customs  of  the  pale  faces.  You  cannot  live  as 
they  do.  Thus  they  said. 

"Continue  to  listen.  It  has  pleased  our  Creator  to  set  apart 
as  our  life  the  three  Sisters.  For  this  special  favor  let  us  ever 
be  thankful.  When  we  have  gathered  in  our  harvest  let  the 
people  assemble  and  hold  a  general  thanksgiving  for  so  great  a 
good.  In  this  way  you  will  show  your  obedience  to  the  will 
and  pleasure  of  your  Creator.  Thus  they  said. 

"  Many  of  you  are  ignorant  of  the  spirit  of  medicine.  It 
watches  over  us  constantly,  and  assists  the  needy  whenever 
necessity  requires,  The  Great  Spirit  designed  that  some  man 
should  possess  the  gift  and  skill  in  medicine,  but  He  is  pained 
td  fcee  a  medicine  man  making  exorbitant  charges  for  attend 
ing  the  sick.  Our  Creator  made  for  us  tobacco.  This  plant 
must  always  be  used  in  administering  medicine.  When  a  sick 
person  recovers  his  health  he  must  return  hi>  thanks  to  the 


OF  THE  IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX  NATIONS.  3O3 

Great  Spirit  by  means  of  tobacco,  for  it  is  by  His  goodness 
that  he  is  made  well.  He  blesses  the  medicine,  and  the  medi- 
cine man  must  receive  as  a  reward  whatever  the  gratitude  of 
the  restored  may  tender.  This  is  right  and  proper.  There 
are  many  that  are  unfortunate  and  cannot  pay  for  attendance. 
It  is  sufficient  for  such  to  return  thanks  to  the  medicine  man 
upon  recovery.  The  remembrance  that  he  has  saved  the  life 
of  a  relative  will  be  a  sufficient  reward. 

"  Listen  further  to  what  the  Great  Spirit  has  been  pleased  to 
communicate  to  us.  He  has  made  us,  as  a  race,  separate  and 
distinct  from  the  pale  faces.  It  is  a  great  sin  to  intermarry 
and  intermingle  the  blood  of  the  two  races.  Let  none  be 
guilty  of  this  transgression. 

"At  one  time  the  four  messengers  said  to  Handsomelake,  'Lest 
the  people  should  disbelieve  you  and  not  repent  and  forsake 
their  evil  ways,  we  will  now  disclose  to  you  the  house  of  tor- 
ment, the  dwelling  place  of  the  evil-minded.'  Handsomelake 
was  particular  in  describing  to  us  all  that  he  witnessed  and 
the  course  which  departed  spirits  were  accustomed  to  take  on 
leaving  the  earth.  There  was  a  road  which  led  upward  ;  at  a 
certain  point  it  branched ;  one  branch  led  straight  forward  to 
the  house  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  the  other  turned  aside  to 
the  house  of  torment ;  at  the  place  where  the  roads  separated 
were  stationed  two  keepers,  one  representing  the  good  and 
the  other  the  evil  spirit ;  when  a  person  reached  the  fork,  if 
wicked,  by  a  motion  of  the  evil  keeper,  he  turned  instinctively 
upon  the  road  which  led  to  the  abode  of  the  evil-minded  ;  but 
if  virtuous  and  good,  the  other  keeper  directed  him  upon  the 
straight  road  ;  the  latter  was  not  much  traveled,  while  the 
former  was  so  frequently  trodden  that  no  grass  could  grow  in 
the  pathway.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  keepers  have 
great  difficulty  in  deciding  which  path  the  person  should  take, 
when  the  good  and  bad  actions  of  the  individual  were  nearly 
balanced.  Those  sent  to  the  house  of  torment  sometimes  re- 
main one  day,  (which  is  one  year  with  us);  some  for  a  longer 


204  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

period.  After  they  have  atoned  for  their  sins  they  pass  to 
heaven  ;  but  when  they  have  committed  either  of  the  great 
sins,  (witchcraft,  murder,  or  infantcide),  they  never  pass  to 
heaven,  but  are  tormented  forever.  Having  conducted  Hand- 
somelake  to  this  place,  he  saw  a  large  dark-colored  mansion, 
covered  with  soot,  and  beside  it  stood  a  lesser  one.  One  of 
the  four  then  held  out  his  rod,  and  the  top  of  the  house  moved 
up  until  they  could  look  down  upon  all  that  was  within.  He 
saw  many  rooms.  The  first  object  which  met  his  eyes  was  a 
haggard-looking  man,  his  sunken  eyes  cast  upon  the  ground, 
and  his  form  half  consumed  by  the  torments  he  had  undergone. 
This  man  was  a  drunkard.  The  evil-minded  then  appeared 
and  called  him  by  name.  As  the  man  obeyed  his  call,  he 
dipped  from  a  caldron  a  quantity  of  red-hot  liquid  and  com- 
manded him  to  drink  it,  as  it  was  an  article  he  loved.  The 
man  did  as  he  was  commanded,  and  immediately  from  his 
mouth  issued  a  stream  of  blaze.  He  cried  in  vain  for  help. 
The  tormentor  then  requested  him  to  sing  and  make  himself 
merry  as  he  had  done  while  on  earth,  after  drinking  the  firewater. 
Let  drunkards  take  warning  from  this.  Others  were  then  sum- 
moned. There  came  before  him  two  persons  who  appeared  to 
be  husband  and  wife.  He  told  them  to  exercise  the  privilege 
they  wrere  so  fond  of  while  on  earth.  They  immediately  com- 
menced a  quarrel  of  words.  They  raged  at  each  other  with 
such  violence  that  their  tongues  and  eyes  ran  out  so  far  they 
could  neither  see  nor  speak.  This,  said  they,  is  the  punish- 
ment of  quarrelsome  and  disputing  husbands  and  wives.  Let 
such  also  take  warning,  and  live  together  in  peace  and  harmony. 
Next  he  called  up  a  woman  who  had  been  a  witch.  First  he 
plunged  her  into  a  caldron  of  boiling  liquid.  In  her  cries  of 
distress  she  begged  the  evil-minded  to  give  her  some  cooler 
place.  He  then  immersed  her  into  one  containing  liquid  at 
the  point  of  freezing.  Her  cries  were  then  that  she  was  too 
cold.  This  woman,  said  the  four  messengers,  shall  always  be 
tormented  in  this  manner.  He  proceeded  to  mention  the  pun- 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  2O$ 

ishment  which  awaits  all  those  who  cruelly  ill-treat  their  wives. 
The  evil-minded  next  called  up  a  man  who  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  beat  his  wife.  Having  led  him  up  to  a  red-hot  statue 
of  a  woman,  he  directed  him  to  do  that  which  he  was  fond  of 
while  upon  earth.  He  obeyed,  and  struck  the  figure.  The 
sparks  flew  in  every  direction,  and  by  the  contact  his  arm  was 
consumed.  Such  is  the  punishment,  they  said,  awaiting  those 
who  ill-treat  their  wives.  From  this  take  seasonable  warning. 
He  looked  again  and  saw  a  woman,  whose  arms  and  hands 
were  nothing  but  bones.  She  had  sold  firewater  to  the  Indians, 
and  the  flesh  was  eaten  from  her  hands  and  arms.  This,  they 
said,  would  be  the  fate  of  rum-sellers.  Again  he  looked,  and 
in  one  apartment  saw  and  recognized  Ho-ne-ya-wus  (farmer's 
brother),  his  former  friend.  He  was  engaged  in  removing  a 
heap  of  sand,  grain  by  grain,  and  although  he  labored  con- 
tinually, yet  the  heap  was  not  diminished.  This,  they  said, 
was  the  punishment  of  those  who  sold  land.  Adjacent  to  the 
house  of  torment  was  a  field  of  corn  filled  with  weeds.  He 
saw  a  woman  in  the  act  of  cutting  them  down,  but  as  fast  as 
this  was  done  they  grew  up  again.  This,  they  said,  was  the 
punishment  of  lazy  women.  It  would  be  proper  and  right, 
had  we  time,  to  tell  more  of  this  place  of  punishment,  but  my 
time  is  limited  and  must  pass  to  other  things. 

"The  Creator  made  men  dependent  upon  each  other.  He 
made  them  sociable  beings  ;  therefore,  when  your  neighbors 
visit  you,  set  food  before  them.  If  it  be  your  next  door  neigh- 
bor, you  must  give  him  to  eat.  He  will  partake  and  thank 
you. 

"Again  they  said,  'You  must  not  steal.'  Should  you  want 
for  anything  necessary,  you  have  only  to  tell  your  wants  and 
they  will  be  supplied.  This  is  right.  Let  none  ever  steal  any- 
thing. Children  are  often  tempted  to  take  things  home 
which  do  not  belong  to  them.  Let  parents  instruct  their 
children  in  this  rule. 

"  Many  of  our  people  live  to  a  very  old  age.     Your  Creator 


206  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

says  that  your  deportment  toward  them  must  be  that  of  rever- 
ence and  affection.  They  have  seen  and  felt  much  of  the 
miseries  and  pains  of  earth.  Be  always  kind  to  them  when 
old  and  helpless.  Wash  their  hands  and  face  and  nurse  them 
with  care.  This  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

"  It  has  been  the  custom  among  us  to  mourn  for  the  dead 
one  year.  This  custom  is  wrong.  As  it  causes  the  death  of 
many  children,  it  must  be  abandoned.  Ten  days  mourn  for 
the  dead,  and  not  longer.  When  one  dies,  it  is  right  and 
proper  to  make  an  address  over  the  body,  telling  how  much 
you  loved  the  deceased.  Great  respect  for  the  dead  must  be 
observed  among  us. 

"At  another  time  the  four  messengers  said  to  Handsomelake 
that  they  would  show  him  the  '  destroyer  of  villages '  (Wash- 
ington), of  whom  you  have  so  often  heard.  Upon  the  road 
leading  to  heaven  he  could  see  a  light,-far  away  in  the  distance; 
moving  to  and  fro.  Its  brightness  far  exceeded  the  brilliancy 
of  the  noonday  sun.  They  told  him  the  journey  was  as  follows : 
First  they  came  to  a  cold  spring,  which  was  a  resting  place ; 
from  this  point  they  proceeded  into  pleasant  fairy  grounds, 
which  spread  away  in  every  direction ;  soon  they  reached 
heaven  ;  the  light  was  dazzling ;  berries  of  every  description 
grew  in  vast  abundance ;  the  size  and  quality  were  such  that  a 
single  berry  was  more  than  sufficient  to  appease  the  appetite; 
a  sweet  fragrance  perfumed  the  air;  fruits  of  every  kind  met 
the  eye.  The  inmates  of  this  celestial  abode  spent  their  time 
in  amusement  and  repose.  No  evil  could  enter  there.  None 
in  heaven  ever  transgress  again ;  families  are  reunited  and 
dwell  together  in  harmony ;  they  possessed  a  bodily  form,  the 
senses  and  the  remembrance  of  earthly  life;  but  no  white  man 
ever  enters  heaven.  Thus  they  said.  He  looked  and  saw 
an  inclosure  upon  a  plain,  just  without  the  entrance  of  heaven. 
Within  it  was  a  fort.  Here  he  saw  the  'destroyer  ©f  villages/ 
walking  to  and  fro  within  the  inclosure.  His  countenance  in- 
dicated a  great  and  good  man.  They  said  to  Handsomelake, 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  2OJ 

'  The  man  you  see  is  the  only  pale  face  that  ever  left  the  earth  ; 
he  was  kind  to  you,  when  on  the  settlement  of  the  great  diffi- 
culty between  the  Americans  and  the  Great  Crown  (Great 
Riitain),  you  were  abandoned  to  the  mercy  of  your  enemies. 
The  Crown  told  the  great  American  that  as  for  his  allies,  the 
Indians,  he  might  kill  them  if  he  liked.  The  great  American 
judged  that  this  would  be  cruel  and  unjust;  he  believed  they 
were  made  by  the  Great  Spirit,  and  were  entitled  to  the  enjoy- 
ments of  life  ;  he  was  kind  to  you  and  extended  over  you  his 
protection ;  for  this  reason  he  has  been  allowed  to  leave  the 
earth.  But  he  is  never  permitted  to  go  into  the  presence  of 
the  Great  Spirit.  Although  alone,  he  is  perfectly  happy. 
All  faithful  Indians  pass  by  him  as  they  go  to  heaven.  They 
see  him  and  recognize  him,  but  pass  on  in  silence.  No  words 
ever  pass  his  lips. 

"  Friends  and  relatives,  it  was  by  the  influence  of  this  great 
man  that  we  wrere  spared  as  a  people,  and  yet  live.  Had  he 
not  granted  us  his  protection,  where  would  we  have  been  ? 
Perished — all  perished. 

"The  four  messengers  further  said  to  Handsomelake  that 
they  were  fearful  that  unless  the  people  repent  and  obey  his 
commands,  the  forbearance  and  patience  of  the  Creator  would 
be  exhausted  ;  that  He  would  grow  angry  with  them  and  cause 
their  increase  to  cease. 

"  Our  Creator  made  light  and  darkness ;  He  made  the  sun 
to  heat  and  shine  over  the  world ;  He  made  the  moon,  also,  to 
shine  by  night  and  to  cool  the  world,  if  the  sun  make  it  too 
hot  by  day.  The  keeper  of  the  clouds,  by  direction  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  will  then  cease  to  act.  The  keeper  of  the  springs 
and  running  brooks  will  cease  to  rule  them  for  the  good  of 
man.  The  sun  will  cease  to  fulfil  its  office.  Total  darkness 
will  then  cover  the  earth.  A  great  smoke  will  rise  and  spread 
over  the  face  of  the  earth.  Then  will  come  out  of  it  all  mon- 
sters and  poisonous  animals  created  by  the  evil-minded,  and 
they,  with  the  wicked  upon  the  earth,  will  perish  together. 


2O8  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

"  But  before  this  dreadful  time  shall  come,  the  Great  Spirit 
will  take  home  to  Himself  all  the  good  and  faithful.  They 
will  lay  themselves  down  to  sleep,  and  from  this  sleep  of  death 
they  will  arise  and  go  home  to  their  Creator.  Thus  they  said. 

"  I  have  done.  I  close  thus,  that  you  may  remember  and 
understand  the  fate  which  awaits  the  earth,  the  unfaithful  and 
the  unbelieving.  Our  Creator  looks  down  upon  us.  The  four 
Beings  from  above  see  us.  They  witness  with  pleasure  this 
assemblage,  and  rejoice  at  the  object  for  which  it  is  gathered. 
It  is  now  forty-eight  years  since  we  first  began  to  listen  to  the 
renewed  will  of  our  Creator.  I  have  been  unable,  during  the 
time  alloted  to  me,  to  rehearse  all  the  sayings  of  Ga-ne-o-di-yo 
(Handsomelake);  I  regret  very  much  that  you  cannot  hear 
them  all. 

"Counselors,  warriors,  women  and  children,  I  have  done. 
I  thank  you  all  for  your  attendance,  and  for  your  kind  and 
patient  attention.  May  the  Great  Spirit,  who  rules  all  things, 
watch  over  and  protect  you  from  every  harm  and  danger  while 
Vbu  travel  the  journey  of  life.  May  the  Great  Spirit  bless  all, 
and  bestow  upon  you  life,  health,  peace  and  prosperity ;  and 
may  you  in  turn  appreciate  His  great  goodness.  This  is  all." 


OF   THE    IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  209 


Sketches  of  an  Iroquois  Council,  or 
Condolence. 


In  giving  the  description  of  the  condolence,  I  have  chosen 
the  following  writings  of  Mr.  G.  S.  Riley,  of  Rochester,  to-wit : 

A  grand  council  of  the  confederate  Iroquois  was  held  Octo- 
ber I,  1845,  at  the  Indian  councilhouse,  on  the  Tonawanda 
reservation,  in  the  county  of  Genesee.  Its  proceedings  occu- 
pied three  days.  It  embraced  representatives  from  all  the  six 
nations — the  Mohawk,  the  Onondaga,  the  Seneca,  the  Oneida, 
the  Cayuga,  and  the  Tuscarora.  It  is  the  only  one  of  the  kind 
which  has  been  held  for  a  number  of  years,  and  is  probably 
the  last  which  will  ever  be  assembled  with  a  full  representation 
of  the  confederate  nations. 

The  Indians  from  abroad  arrived  at  the  council-grounds,  or 
the  immediate  vicinity,  two  days  previous,  and  one  of  the 
most  interesting  spectacles  of  the  occasion  was  the  entry  of 
the  different  nations  upon  the  domain  and  hospitality  of  the 
Senecas,  on  whose  grounds  the  council  was  to  be  held.  The 
representation  of  the  Mohawks,  coming  as  they  did  from  Can- 
ada, was  necessarily  small.  The  Onondagas,  with  acting  Todo- 
tahhoh,  of  the  confederacy,  and  his  two  counselors,  made  an 
exceedingly  creditable  appearance.  Nor  was  the  array  of  the 
Tuscaroras,  in  point  of  numbers,  at  least,  deficient  in  attractive 
and  improving  features. 

We  called  upon  and  were  presented  to  Black  Smith, the  most  in- 
fluential and  authoritative  of  the  Seneca  sachems.     He  is  about 
sixty  years  old,  is  somewhat  portly,  is  easy  enough  in  his  man- 
(26) 


210  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

ncrs,  and  is  well  disposed,  and  even  kindly  towards  all  who 
convinced  him  that  they  have  no  sinister  designs  in  coming 
among  his  people. 

Jemmy  Johnson  is  the  great  high  priest  of  the  confederacy. 
Though  now  sixty-nine  years  old,  he  is  yet  an  erect,  fine-look- 
ing and  energetic  Indian,  and  is  hospitable  and  intelligent. 
He  is  in  possession  of  the  medal  presented  by  Washington  to 
Red  Jacket  in  1792,  which,  among  other  things  of  interest,  he 
showed  us. 

It  would  be  imcompatible  with  the  present  purpose  to  de- 
scribe all  the  interesting  men  who  were  assembled,  among 
whom  were  Captain  Frost,  Messrs.  Le  Fort,  Hill,  John  Jacket, 
Dr.  Wilson  and  others.  We  spent  much  of  the  time  during 
the  week  in  conversation  with  the  chiefs  and  most  intelligent 
Indians  of  the  different  nations,  and  gleaned  from  them  much 
information  of  the  highest  interest,  in  relation  to  the  organiza- 
tion, government,  laws,  religion  and  customs  of  the  people  and 
characteristics  of  the  great  men  of  the  old  and  once  powerful 
confederacy.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  the  peculiar  govern- 
ment and  national  characteristics  of  the  Iroquois  is  a  most  in- 
teresting field  of  research  and  inquiry,  which  has  never  been 
very  thoroughly,  if  at  all,  investigated,  although  the  historic 
events  which  marked  the  proud  career  of  the  confederacy  hate 
been  perseveringly  sought  and  treasured  up  in  the  writings  of 
Stone,  Schoolcraft,  Hosmer,  Yates  and  others. 

Many  of  the  Indians  speak  English  readily,  but  with  the  aid 
and  interpretations  of  Mr.  Ely  S.  Parker,  a  young  Seneca  of  no 
ordinary  degree  of  attainment  in  both  scholarship  and  general 
inteligence,  and  who,  with  Le  Fort,  the  Ononciaga,  is  well 
versed  in  old  Iroquois  matters,  we  had  no  difficulty  in  convers- 
ing with  any  and  all  \ve  chose  to. 

About   midday  on  Wednesday,  October    i.  ilu- 
rncnced.     The  ceremonies  with  which  it  was  opened  and  con- 
ducted were  certainly   unique — -almost   indescribable;  and   as 
its  proceedings  were  in  the  Seneca  tongue,  they  were  in  a  great 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  211 

measure  unintelligible,  and  in  fact,  profoundly  mysterious  to  the 
pale  faces. 

One  of  the  chief  objects  for  which  the  council  had  been  con- 
voked, was  to  fill  two  vacancies  in  the  Sachems  of  the  Senecas, 
which  had  been  made  by  the  death  of  the  former  incumbents; 
and  preceding  the  installation  of  the  candidates  for  the  succes- 
sion there  was  a  general  and  dolorous  lament  for  the  deceased 
Sachems,  the  utterance  of  which,  together  with  the  repetition 
of  the  laws  of  the  confederacy,  the  installation  of  the  new 
Sachems,  the  impeachment  and  disposition  of  three  unfaithful 
Sachems,  the  elevation  of  others  in  their  stead,  and  the  per- 
formance of  the  various  ceremonies  attendant  upon  these  pro- 
ceedings, consumed  the  principal  part  of  the  afternoon. 

At  the  setting  of  the  sun  a  bountiful  repast,  consisting  of 
an  innumerable  number  of  rather  formidable  looking  chunks 
of  boiled  fresh  beef,  and  abundance  of  bread  and  succotash, 
was  brought  into  the  council  house.  The  manner  of  saying 
grace  on  this  occasion  was  indeed  peculiar.  A  kettle  being 
brought,  hot  and  smoking  from  the  fire,  and  placed  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  council  house,  there  proceeded  from  a  single  person, 
in  a  high  shrill  key,  a  prolonged  and  monotonous  sound,  re- 
sembling that  of  the  syllable  wah  or  yah.  This  was  immedi- 
ately followed  by  a  responsive  but  protracted  tone,  the  syllable 
iv he  or  sivc,  and  this  concluded  grace.  It  was  impossible  not 
to  be  somewhat  mirthfully  affected  at  the  first  hearing  of  grace 
said  in  this  novel  manner.  It  is,  however,  pleasurable  to  re- 
flect that  the  Indians  recognize  the  duty  of  rendering  thanks 
to  the  Divine  Being  in  some  formal  way  for  the  bounties  and 
enjoyments  which  He  bestows;  and,  were  an  Indian  to  attend  a 
public  feast  among  his  pace  faced  brethren,  he  would  be  affect- 
ed perhaps  to  a  greater  degree  of  marvel  at  witnessing  a  total 
neglect  of  this  ceremony  than  we  were  at  his  singular  way  of 
performing  it. 

After  supper  commenced  the  dances.  All  day  Tuesday  and 
on  Wednesday,  up  to  the  time  that  the  places  of  the  deceased 


212  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

Sachems  had  been  filled,  everything  like  undue  joyfulness  had 
been  restrained.  This  was  required  by  the  respect  customarily 
due  to  the  distinguished  dead.  But  now  the  bereaved  Sachems 
being  again  filled,  all  were  to  give  utterance  of  gladness  and 
joy.  A  short  speech  by  Capt  Frost,  introductory  to  the  en- 
joyments of  the  evening,  was  received  with  acclamatory  appro- 
bation, and  soon  eighty  or  ninety  of  these  sons  and  daughters 
of  the  forest — the  old  men  and  the  young,  the  maidens  and 
the  matrons — were  engaged  in  the  dance.  It  was  indeed  a  rare 
sight. 

Only  two  varieties  of  dancing  were  introduced  the  first  even- 
ing, the  trotting  dance  and  the  fish  dance.  The  figures  of  either 
are  exceedingly  simple,  and  but  slightly  different  from  each 
other.  In  the  first  named,  the  dancers  all  move  round  a  circle 
in  a  single  file,  keeping  time  in  a  sort  of  trotting  step  to  an 
Indian  song  of  yo-ho-ha,  or  yo-ho-ha-ha-ho,  as  sung  by  the 
leader,  or  occasionally  by  all  conjoined.  In  the  other,  there  is 
the  same  movement  in  single  file  round  a  circle,  but  every  two 
persons,  a  man  and  a  woman,  or  two  men,  face  each  other,  the 
one  moving  forward,  the  other  backward,  and  all  keeping  step 
to  the  music  of  the  singers,  who  are  now,  however,  aided  by  a 
a  couple  of  tortoise  or  turtle  shell  rattlers,  or  an  aboriginal 
drum.  At  regular  intervals  there  is  a  sort  of  cadence  in  the 
music,  during  which  a  change  of  position  by  all  the  couples 
takes  place,  the  one  who  had  been  moving  backward  taking 
the  place  of  the  one  moving  forward,  when  all  again  move 
onward,  one-half  of  the  whole,  of  course,  being  obliged  to  fol- 
low on  by  dancing  backwards. 

One  peculiarity  in  Indian  dancing  would  probably  strongly 
commend  itself  to  that  class  among  pale  faced  beau  and 
belles  denominated  bashful;  though,  perhaps,  it  would  not 
suit  others  as  well.  The  men,  or  a  number  of  them,  usually 
begin  the  dance  alone,  and  the  women,  or  each  of  them,  select- 
ing the  one  with  whom  she  would  like  to  dance,  presents  her- 
self at  his  side  as  he  approaches  and  is  immediately  received 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  213 

into  the  circle.  Consequently,  the  young  Indian  beau  knows 
nothing  of  the  tact  required  to  handsomely  invite  and  gallantly 
lead  a  lady  to  the  dance  ;  and  the  young  Indian  maiden,  un- 
annoyed  by  obnoxious  offers,  at  her  own  convenience,  grace- 
fully presents  her  personage  to  the  one  she  designs  to  favor, 
and  thus  quietly  engages  herself  in  the  dance.  And  more- 
over, while  an  Indian  beau  is  not  necessarily  obliged  to  ex- 
hibit any  gallantry  as  towards  a  belle  till  she  has  herself  mani- 
fested her  own  good  pleasure  in  the  matter;  so,  therefore,  the 
belle  cannot  indulge  herself  in  vascilant  flirtations  with  any 
considerable  number  of  beaux  without  being  at  once  detected. 

On  Thursday  the  religious  ceremonies  commenced,  and  the 
council  from  the  time  it  assembled,  which  was  about  11  o'clock 
A.  M.,  till  3  or  4  o'clock  p.  M.,  gave  the  most  serious  attention 
to  the  preaching  of  Jimmy  Johnson,  the  great  high  priest, 
and  the  second  in  the  succession  under  the  new  revelation. 
Though  there  are  some  evangelical  believers  among  the  In- 
dians, the  greater  portion  of  them  cherish  the  religion  of  their 
fathers.  This,  as  they  say,  has  been  somewhat  changed  by  the 
new  revelation,  which  the  Great  Spirit  made  to  one  of  their 
prophets  about  forty-seven  years  ago,  and  which,  as  they  also 
believe,  was  approved  by  Washington. 

The  profound  regard  and  veneration  which  the  Indiaus  have 
ever  retained  towards  the  name  and  memory  of  Washington 
is  most  interesting  evidence  of  his  universally  appreciated 
worth,  and  the  fact  that  the  red  men  regard  him  not  merely 
as  one  of  the  best,  but  as  the  very  best  man  that  ever  has  ex- 
isted, or  that  will  ever  exist,  is  beautifully  illustrated  in  a  sin- 
gular credence  which  they  maintain  even  to  this  day,  namely, 
that  Washington  is  the  .only  white  man  who  has  ever  entered 
heaven  and  is  the  only  one  who  will  enter  there  till  the  end  of 
the  world. 

Among  the  Senecas  public  religious  exercises  takes  place  but 
once  a  year.  At  these  times  Jimmy  Johnson  preaches  hour 
after  hour  for  three  days,  and  then  rests  from  any  public  dis 


214  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS  AND    LAWS 

charge  of  ecclesiastical  offices  the  remaining  three  hundred 
and  sixty-two  days  of  the  year.  On  this,  an  unusual  occasion, 
he  restricted  himself  to  a  few  hours  in  each  of  the  last  two 
days  of  the' council.  .  We  were  told  by  young  Parker,  who  took 
notes  of  his  preaching,  that  his  subject  matter  on  Thursday 
abounded  in  good  teachings,  enforced  by  appropriate  and 
happy  illustrations  and  striking  imagery.  After  he  had  fin- 
ished the  council  took  a  short  respite.  Soon,  however,  a  com- 
pany of  warriors,  ready  and  eager  to  engage  in  the  celebrated 
corn  dance,  made  their  appearance.  They  were  differently 
attired.  While  some  were  completely  enveloped  in  a  closely- 
fitting  and  gaudy-colored  garb,  others,  though  perhaps  without 
intending  it,  had  made  wonderfully  close  approaches  to  an  imi- 
tation of  the  costume  said  to  have  been  so  fashionable  in  many 
parts  of  the  State  of  Georgia  during  the  last  hot  summer,  and 
which  is  also  said  to  have  consisted  simply  of  a  shirt  collar  and 
a  pair  of  spurs.  But,  in  truth,  these  warriors,  with  shoulders 
and  limbs  in  a  state  of  nudity,  with  faces  bestreaked  with 
paints,  with  jingling  trinkets  dangling  to  their  kees,  and  with 
feathered  war  caps  waving  above  them,  presented  a  truly  pic- 
turesque and  romantic  appearance.  When  the  center  of  the 
council  house  had  been  cleared  and  the  musicians  with  the 
shell  rattlers  had  taken  their  places,  the  dance  commenced, 
and  for  an  hour  and  a  half — perhaps  two  hours — it  proceeded 
with  surprising  spirit  and  energy.  Almost  eveiy  posture  of 
which  the  human  frame  is  susceptible,  without  absolutely  mak- 
ing the  feet  uppermost  and  the  head  for  once  to  assume  the 
place  of  the  feet,  was  exhibited.  Some  of  the  attitudes  of  the 
dancers  were  really  imposing,  and  the  dance  as  a  whole,  could 
be  got  up  and  conducted  only  by  Indians.  The  women,  in  the 
performance  of  the  corn  dance  are  quite  by  themselves,  keep- 
ing time  to  the  beat  of  the  shells  and  gliding  along  sideways, 
without  scarcely  lifting  their  feet  from  the  floor. 

It  would  probably  be  well    if   the  Indian  everywhere  could 
be  inclined   to  refrain  at   least  from  the   more  grotesque  and 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  21 5 

boisterous  peculiarities  of  the  dance.  The  influence  of  these 
cannot  be  productive  of  any  good,  and  it  is  questionable 
whether  it  will  be  possible,  so  long  as  they  are  retained,  to 
assimilate  them  to  any  greater  degree  of  civilization,  or  to 
more  refined  methods  of  living  and  enjoyment  than  they  now 
possess.  The  same  may  be  said  of  certain  characteristics  of 
the  still  more  Vandalic  war  dance.  This,  however,  was  not  in- 
troduced at  the  council. 

A  part  of  the  proceedings  of  Friday,  the  last  day  of  the 
council,  bore  resemblance  to  those  of  the  preceding  day. 
Jimmy  Johnson  resumed  his  preaching,  at  the  close  of  which 
the  corn  dance  was  again  performed,  though  with  far  more 
spirit  and  enthusiasm  than  at  the  first.  Double  the  numbers 
that  then  appeared,  all  hardy  and  sinewy  men,  atttired  in  orig- 
inal and  fantastic  style,  among  whom  was  one  of  the  chiefs  of 
the  confederacy,  together  with  forty  or  fifty  women  of  the 
different  nations,  now  engaged,  and  for  more  than  t\vo  hours 
persevered  in  the  performance  of  the  various  complicated  and 
fatigueing  movement  of  this  dance.  The  appearance  of  the 
dusty  throng,  with  its  increased  numbers,  and  of  course  pro- 
portionably  increased  resources  for  the  production  of  shrill 
whoops  and  noisy  stamping,  and  for  the  exhibition  of  striking 
attitudes  and  rampant  motions,  \vas  altogether  strange,  won- 
derful and  seemingly  superhuman. 

After  the  dance  had  ceasedr  another  kind  of  sport — a  well 
contested  foot  race — claimed  attention.  In  the  evening,  after 
another  supper  in  the  council  house,  the  more  social  dances — 
the  troting,  the  fish,  and  one  in  which  the  women  alone  partic- 
ipated— were  resumed.  The  fish  dance  seemed  to  be  the 
favorite,  and  being  invited  to  join  in  by  one  of  the  chiefs,  \\  e 
at  once  accepted  the  invitation,  and  followed  in  mirthful  chase 
of  pleasure  with  a  hundred  forest  children.  Occasionally  the 
dances  are  characterized  with  ebulitions  of  merriment  and 
flashes  of  real  fun,  but  generally  a  singular  sobriety  and  decorum 
observed.  Frequently,  when  gazing  at  a  throng  of  sixty 


a  re 


2l6  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

or  perhaps  one  hundred  dancers,  we  have  been  scarcely  able 
to  decide  which  was  the  most  remarkable,  the  staid  and  im- 
perturable  gravity  of  the  old  men  and  women,  or  the  complete 
absence  of  levity  and  frolicsomeness  in  the  young. 

The  social  dances  of  the  evening,  with  occasional  speeches 
from  the  sachems  and  chiefs,  were  the  final  and  concluding 
ceremonies  of  this  singular  but  interesting  affair.  Saturday 
morning  witnessed  the  separation  of  the  various  nations  and 
the  departure  of  each  to  their  respective  homes. 

The  writer  would  liked  to  have  said  a  word  or  two  or  rela- 
tion to  the  present  condition  and  prospects'  of  the  Indians, 
but  the  original  design  in  regard  to  both  the  topics  and  brevity 
of  this  writing  having  been  already  greatly  transcended,  it 
must  be  deferred.  The  once  powerful  confederacy  of  the  Six 
Nations,  occupying  in  its  palmy  days  the  greater  portion  of 
New  York  State,  now  number  only  a  little  over  3,000.  Even 
this  remnant  will  soon  be  gone.  In  view  of  this,  as  well  as  of 
the  known  fact  that  the  Indian  race  is  everywhere  gradually 
diminishing  in  numbers,  the  writer  cannot  close  without  invok- 
ing for  this  unfortunate  people  renewed  kindliness,  sympathy 
and  benevolent  attention.  It  is  true,  that  with  some  few  ex- 
ceptions, they  possess  habits  and  characteristics  which  render 
them  difficult  to  approach  ;  but  still,  they  are  only  what  the 
creator  of  us  all  has  made  them.  And  let  it  be  remembered, 
it  must  be  a  large  measure  of  kindliness  and  benevolence  that 
will  repay  the  injustice  and  wrongs  that  have  been  inflicted 
upon  them. 


OF  THE   IKOQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  21  / 


ATOTARHO. 


Atotarho,  who  by  tradition  was  an  Onondaga,  is  the  great 
embodiment  of  the  Iroquois  courage,  wisdom  and  heroism, 
and  he  is  invested  with  allegoric  traits  which  exalt  him  to  a 
kind  of  superhuman  character.  Unequalled  in  war  and  arts 
his  fame  spread  abroad,  and  exalted  the  Onondaga  nation  in 
the  highest  scale.  He  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  confed- 
eracy, and  his  name  was  used  after  his  death  as  an  examplar 
of  glory  and  honor.  While  like  that  of  Caesar,  it  became  per- 
petuated as  the  official  title  of  the  presiding  Sachem  of  the 
confederacy.  He  was  a  man  of  energy  and  renown.  And 
such  was  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  in  his  life  time, 
and  the  popular  veneration  for  his  character  after  death,  that, 
as  above  denoted,  his  name  became  the  distincfive  title  for 
the  office,  and  is  not  yet  extinct,  although  the  tribes  have  no 
longer  war  to  prosecute  or  foreign  embassadors  to  reply  to. 


Iroquois  Laws  of  Descent. 


At  the  establishment  of  the  confederacy,  fifty  sachems  were 
founded  and  a  name  assigned  to  each,  by  which  they  are  still 
known,  and  these  names  are  kept  as  hereditary  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  present  time.  There  were  also  fifty  sub-sachems, 
or  war  chiefs — that  is,  to  every  sachem  \vas  given  a  war  chief, 

(27) 


218  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

to  stand  behind  him  to  do  his  biddings.  These  sachemships 
were,  and  are  still  confined  to  the  five  nations ;  the  Tuscaroras 
were  admitted  into  the  confederacy  without  enlarging  the 
framework  of  the  league,  by  allowing  them  their  own  sachems 
and  sub-sachems,  or  war  chiefs,  as  they  inherited  from  their 
original  nation  of  North  Carolina. 

But  how,  it  may  be  asked,  is  a  government  so  purely  popular, 
and  so  simple  and  essentially  advisory  in  its  character,  to  be 
reconciled  with  the  laws  of  hereditary  descent,  fixed  by  the 
establishment  of  heraldic  devices  and  bringing  its  proportion 
of  weak  and  incompetent  minds  into  office,  and  with  the  actual 
power  it  exercised  and  the  fame  it  acquired.  To  answer  this 
question,  and  to  show  how  the  aristocratic  and  democratic 
principles  were  made  to  harmonize  in  the  Iroquois  govern- 
ment, it  will  be  necessary  to  go  back  and  examine  the  laws  of 
descent  among  the  tribes,  together  with  the  curious  and  intric- 
ate principles  of  the  clans  or  tribal  bonds. 

Nothing  is  more  fully  under  the  cognizance  of  observers  of 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Indians,  than  the  fact  of  the 
entire  nation  or  tribe  being  separated  into  distinct  clans,  each 
of  them  distinguished  by  the  name  and  device  of  some  quad- 
ruped, bird,  or  other  object  in  the  animal  kingdom.  This  de- 
vice is  called  by  the  Tuscaroras  Or-reak-sa.  (clan).  The  Iroquois 
have  turned  it  to  account  by  assuming  it  as  the  very  basis  of 
their  political  and  tribal  bond. 

A  government  wholly  verbal  must  be  conceded  to  have  re- 
quired this  proximity  and  nearness  of  access.  The  original- 
five  nations  of  the  Iroquois  were,  theoretically,  separated  into 
eight  clans  or  original  families  of  kindreds,  who  are  distinguish- 
ed respectively  by  the  clans  of  the  wolf,  bear,  turtle,  deer,  beav- 
er, falcon,  crane  and  the  plover.  I  find  that  there  is  a  little 
difference  in  the  clans  of  the  Tuscaroras,  which  are  the  bear, 
wolf,  turtle,  beaver,  deer,  eel  and  snipe.  It  is  contrary  to  the 
usage  of  the  Indians  that  near  kindred  should  intermarry,  and 
the  ancient  rule  interdicts  all  intermarriage  between  persons  of 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX    NATIONS.  2IQ 

the  same  clan.  They  must  marry  into  a  clan  which  is  different 
from  their  own.  A  Bear  or  Wolf  male  cannot  marry  a  Bear  or 
Wolf  female.  By  this  custom  the  purity  of  blood  is  preserved, 
while  the  ties  of  relationship  between  the  clans  themselves  is 
strengthened  or  enlarged. 

The  line  of  descent  is  limited  exclusively  in  the  female's 
children.  Owing  to  this  arrangement,  a  chieftain's  son  cannot 
succeed  him  in  office,  but  in  case  of  his  death,  the  right  of  de- 
scent being  in  his  mother,  he  would  be  succeeded,  not  by  one 
of  his  male  children,  but  by  his  brother  ;  or  failing  in  this, 
then  by  the  son  of  his  sister,  or  by  some  direct,  however  re- 
mote, descendent  of  a  maternal  line. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  children  are  not  of  the  same  clan 
as  their  father,  but  are  the  same  as  their  mother.  Thus,  he 
might  be  succeeded  by  his  own  grandson,  by  the  son  marrying 
in  his  father's  clan,  and  not  by  his  daughter.  It  is  in  this  way 
that  the  chieftainship  is  continually  kept  in  a  family  dynasties 
in  the  female  line. 

While  the  law  of  descent  is  fully  recognized,  the  free  will  of 
the  female  to  choose  a  husband  from  any  of  the  clans,  exclud- 
ing only  her  own,  is  made  to  govern  and  determine  the  distri- 
bution of  political  power,  and  to  fix  the  political  character  of 
the  tribe.  Another  peculiarity  may  be  here  stated.  In  choos- 
ing a  candidate  to  fill  a  vacancy  of  the  chieftainship,  made 
either  by  death  or  misconduct,  the  power  is  lodged  in  the  old- 
er women  of  the  clan  to  choose  the  candidate,  and  then  to  be 
submitted  for  the  recognition  of  the  chiefs  and  sachems  in 
council,  for  the  whole  nation.  If  approved,  a  day  is  appointed 
for  the  recognition  also  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  he  is  formally 
installed  into  office.  Incapacity  is  always,  however,  without 
exception,  recognized  as  a  valid  objection  to  the  approval  of 
the  council. 


220  LEGENDS,    TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 


LEGENDARY. 


On  long  winter  evenings  the  Indian  hunters  gatherd  around 
their  fireside,  to  listen  to  the  historical  traditions,  legends  of 
war  and  hunting,  and  fairy  tales  which  had  been  handed  down 
through  their  fathers  and  father's  fathers,  with  scarcely  any  va- 
riation for  centuries,  kindling  the  enthusiasm  of,  the  warrior 
and  inspiring  the  little  child  some  day  to  realize  similar  dreams, 
and  hand  his  name  down  to  posterity  as  the  author  of  similar 
exploits. 

They  have  superstitious  fears  of  relating  fables  in  summer  ; 
not  until  after  snow  comes  will  they  relate  of  snakes,  lest  they 
should  creep  into  their  beds,  or  of  evil  genii,  lest  they  in  some 
way  be  revenged. 

It  is  very  difficult  for  a  stranger  to  rightly  understand  the 
morals  of  their  stories,  though  it  is  said  by  those  who  know 
them  best,  that  to  them  the  story  was  always  an  illustration  of 
some  moral  or  principle. 

To  strangers  they  offer  all  the  rites  of  hospitality,  but  do  not 
open  their  hearts.  If  you  ask  them  they  will  tell  you  a  story, 
but  it  will  not  be  such  a  story  as  they  tell  when  alone.  They 
will  fear  your  ridicule  and  suppress  their  humor  and  pathos  ; 
so  thoroughly  have  they  learned  to  distrust  pale  faces,  that 
when  they  know  that  he  who  is  present  is  a  friend,  they  will 
still  shrink  from  admitting  him  within  the  secret  portals  of 
their  heart. 

And  when  you  have  learned  all  that  language  can  convey, 
there  are  still  a  thousand  images,  suggestions  and  associations 
recurring  to  the  Indian,  which  can  strike  no  chord  in  your 
heart.  The  myriad  voices  of  nature  are  dumb  to  you,  but  to 
them  they  are  full  of  life  and  power. 


OF   THE    IROOUOIS,  OR   SIX    NATIONS.  221 

NO.   I. — THE  IITNTKR  AND  MEDICINE  LKCKNI). 

There  once  lived  a  man  who  was  a  great  hunter.  His  gen- 
erosity was  the  theme  of  praise  in  all  the  country,  for  he  not 
only  supplied  his  own  family  with  food,  but  distributed  game 
among  his  friends  and  neighbors,  and  even  called  the  birds  and 
animals  of  the  forest  to  partake  of  his  abundance.  For  this 
reason  he  received  the  appellation  of  "  Protector  of  Birds  and 
Animals." 

He  lived  a  hunter's  life  till  war  broke  out  between  his  own 
and  some  distant  nation,  and  then  he  took  the  war  path.  Pie 
was  as  brave  a  warrior  as  he  was  a  skillful  hunter,  and  slew  a 
great  multitude  of  the  enemy,  till  all  were  lying  dead  around 
him,  except  one,  who  was  a  mighty  man  of  valor,  and  in  an  un- 
guarded moment  the  hunter  received  a  blow  from  his  toma- 
hawk on  the  head,  which  felled  him  to  the  earth  ;  his  enemy 
then  took  his  scalp  and  fled. 

Some  of  his  own  party  saw  what  befell  him,  and  supposing 
him  dead  left  him  on  the  field  of  battle  ;  but  a  fox  who  had 
wandered  this  way  immediately  recognized  his  benefactor. 
Sorrowful,  indeed,  was  he  to  find  him  thus  slain,  and  began 
to  revolve  in  his  mind  some  means  of  restoring  him  to  life. 
"  Perhaps,"  said  he,  u  some  of  my  friends  may  know  of  a  med- 
icine by  which  his  wounds  may  be  healed,  and  he  may  live 
again."  So  saying,  he  ran  into  the  forest  and  uttered  the 
il  death  lament,"  which  was  the  signal  for  all  the  animals  to 
congregate.  From  far  and  near  they  came,  till  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  every  kind  had  assembled  around  the  body  of 
the  hunter,  eagerly  inquiring  what  had  happened.  The  fox 
explained  he  had  accidentally  came  that  way  and  found  their 
friend  stretched  lifeless  upon  the  earth.  The  animals  drew 
near  and  examined  him  more  closely,  to  be  sure  that  life  was 
extinct  ;  they  rolled  him  over  and  over  on  the  ground  and 
were  satisfied  that  he  was  dead,  there  was  not  a  single  sign  of 
life. 

Then  they  held  a  grand  council  of  which  the  bear  was  the 


222  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

speaker.  When  all  were  ready  to  listen,  he  asked  if  any  one 
present  was  acquainted  with  any  medicine  which  would  restore 
the  dead  man  to  life.  With  great  alacrity  each  one  examined 
his  medicine  box,  but  finds  nothing  adapted  to  this  purpose. 
Being  defeated  in  their  noble  object. of  restoring  their  friend, 
all  join  in  a  mournful  howl — a  requiem  for  the  dead.  This  at- 
tracted a  singing  bird,  the  oriole,  who  came  quietly  to  learn 
the  cause  of  the  assembling  of  the  great  concourse  and  their 
profound  lamentation.  The  bear  made  known  the  calamity 
which  had  befallen  them,  and  as  the  birds  would  feel  them- 
selves equally  afflicted,  he  requested  the  oriole  to  flyaway  and 
invite  all  the  feathered  tribes  to  come  to  the  council  and  see  if 
their  united  wisdom  cannot  devise  a  remedy  that  will  restore 
their  friend  to  life. 

Soon  were  assembled  all  the  birds  of  the  air,  even  the  great 
eagle  of  the  Iroquois,  which  was  seldom  induced  to  appear  up- 
on the  earth,  hastens  to  pay  her  respects  to  the  remains  of  the 
renowned  and  benevolent  hunter.  All  being  satisfied  that  he 
was  really  dead,  the  united  council  of  birds  and  animals,  which 
remained  convened,  decided  that  his  scalp  must  be  recovered, 
saying  that  any  bird  or  animal  who  pleased  might  volunteer  to 
go  on  this  mission.  The  fox  was  the  first  to  offer  his  services 
and  departed  full  of  hope  that  his  zeal  would  be  crowned  with 
success.  But  after  many  days  he  returned,  saying  he  could 
find  no  trace  of  man's  footsteps,  not  a  chick  or  child  belonged 
to  any  settlement.  The  great  love  which  they  bore  their  friend 
prompted  several  others  to  go  upon  the  same  mission,  and  to 
the  animals  belonged  the  first  right  as  they  had  first  found 
him  ;  but  at  length  the  birds  were  anxious  to  show  their  devo- 
tion and  the  pigeon  hawk  begged  leave  to  make  the  first  flight, 
as  he  was  more  swift  of  wing  than  any  other  and  could  visit 
the  whole  world  in  the  shortest  space  of  time.  They  had 
scarcely  missed  him  when  he  returned  ;  he  said  he  had  been 
over  the  entire  earth  and  found  it  not.  They  did  not  consider 
his  voyage  satisfactory,  as  he  had  flown  so  swiftly  that  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  see  anything  distinct!}'  by  the  way. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,    OR   SIX   NATIONS.  223 

Next  the  white  heron  proposed  that  he  be  sent,  because  of 
being  so  slow  of  wing  he  could  see  every  object  as  he  passed. 
On  his  aerial  voyage  he  discovered  a  plain  covered  with  the 
vines  of  the  wild  bean,  laden  with  the  delicious  fruit ;  it  was 
too  great  a  temptation  for  him  to  resist,  and  he  descended  to 
enjoy  a  feast.  So  gluttonously  did  he  partake  that  he  could 
not  rise  again  from  the  earth,  and  the  council  after  many  days 
of  anxious  waiting,  called  for  a  substitute.  Here  the  crow 
came  forward  and  acknowledged  his  fitness  for  such  an 
office,  as  he  was  also  slow  of  wing  and  was  accustomed  to  hov- 
er settlements  and  discern  them  afar  off,  he  would  not  be  sus- 
pected of  any  particular  design  should  he  linger  near  the  one 
that  contained  the  scalp. 

The  warrior  who  possessed  the  coveted  treasure  knew  the 
birds  and  animals  were  holding  council  on  the  field  of  battle- 
to  devise  means  to  recover  it,  but  when  the  crow  drew  near  he 
was  not  alarmed.  The  smoke  of  the  wigwams  indicated  a  set- 
tlement, and  as  the  crow  sailed  lazily  through  the  air  at  a  great 
height  above  the  roofs  of  the  cabins,  he  espied  the  scalp  which 
he  knew  must  be  the  one  he  sought,  stretched  out  to  dry. 

After  various  unsuccessful  strategems,  he  was  able  to  seize 
it,  and  flew  away  to  exhibit  his  trophy  to  the  council. 

Now,  they  attempted  to  fit  it  to  his  head,  but,  being  dry,  it 
was  impossible  ;  so  search  was  made  to  find  something  with 
which  to  moisten  it,  but  in  vain.  Then  slowly  moved  forward 
the  great  eagle,  and  bids  them  listen  to  his  words. 

"  My  wings  are  never  furled  ;  night  and  day,  for  years  and 
hundreds  of  years,  the  dews  of  heaven  have  been  collected  up- 
on my  back,  as  I  sat  in  my  nest  above  the  clouds.  Perhaps 
these  waters  may  have  a  virtue  no  earthly  fountain  can  pos- 
\ve  will  see." 

Then  she  plucked  a  feather  from  her  wing  and  dipped  it  in 
the  dewey  elixir,  which  was  then  applied  to  the  shriveled  scalp, 
and  lo  !  it  became  pliable  and  fresh  as  if  just  removed.  Now 
it  would  fit,  but  there  must  be  a  healing  power  to  cau.^c  the 
flesh  to  unite,  and  again  to  awaken  life. 


224  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

All  were  anxious  to  do  something  in  the  great  work,  there- 
fore all  went  forth  to  bring  rare  leaves,  flowers,  barks,  the  flesh 
of  animals  and  the  brain  of  birds,  to  form  a  healing  mixture, 
When  they  returned  it  was  prepared,  and  having  been  moist- 
ed with  the  dew,  was  applied  to  the  scalp,  and  instantly  ad- 
hered to  it  and  became  firm.  This  caused  the  hunter  to  sit  up; 
he  looked  around  in  astonishment  upon  his  numerous  friends, 
unable  to  divine  the  meaning  of  so  strange  an  assemblage. 

Then  they  bade  him  stand  upon  his  feet  and  told  him  how 
he  was  found  dead  upon  the  plain  and  how  great  was  the  lamen- 
tation of  all  those  who  had  so  long  experienced  his  kindness, 
and  the  efforts  they  had  made  to  restore  him  to  life.  They 
then  gave  him  the  compound  which  had  been  the  means  of 
restoring  him  to  life,  saying,  "  it  was  the  gift  of  the  Great  Spir- 
it to  man.  He  alone  had  directed  them  in  the  affairs  of  the 
council,  had  brought  the  eagle  to  furnish  the  heavenly  moist- 
ure, and  gave  them  wisdom  in  making  the  preparation,  that 
they  might  furnish  to  man  a  medicine  which  should  be  effect- 
ual for  every  wound." 

When  they  had  finished  the  animals  departed  to  their  for- 
est haunts,  the  eagle  soared  again  to  his  eyrie,  and  the  birds  of 
the  air  flew  away  to  their  nests  in  the  tall  trees,  all  happy  and 
rejoicing  that  they  had  accomplished  this  great  good. 

The  hunter  returned  to  his  home  and  spread  abroad  the 
news  of  the  miracle  and  the  knowledge  of  the  wonderful  medi- 
cine, which  is  used  to  this  day  among  the  Iroquois  by  those 
who  are  the  favorites  of  the  Great  Spirit. 


An  Indian  hunter  went  forth  to  hunt,  and  as  he  wandered 
through  the  forest  he  heard  a  strain  of  beautiful  music  far  off 
among  the  trees.  He  listened,  but  could  not  tell  whence  it 
came  ;  he  knew  it  could  not  be  by  any  human  \oice,  or  from 
any  instrument  he  had  ever  heard.  As  it  came  near  it  ceased. 
The  next  evening  he1  went  forth  again,  but  he  heard  no  music, 
and  again,  but  in  van. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  225 

Then  came  the  Great  Spirit  to  him  in  a  dream  and  told  him 
to  fast,  wash  himself  till  he  was  purified,  then  he  might  go  forth 
and  would  hear  again  the  music.  So  he  purified  himself  and 
went  again  among  the  dark  trees  of  the  forest,  and  soon  his 
ear  caught  the  sweet  strains,  as  he  drew  near  they  became  more 
beautiful  ;  he  listened  till  he  learned  them  and  could  make  the 
same  sweet  sound,  then  he  knew  that  it  was  a  plant  with  a  tall 
green  stem  and  long  tapering  leaves.  He  took  his  knife  and 
cut  the  stalk,  but  ere  he  had  scarcely  finished,  it  healed  and 
was  the  same  as  before ;  he  cut  it  again,  and  again  it  healed. 
Then  he  knew  it  would  heal  diseases,  he  took  it  home,  dried  it 
by  the  fire,  pulverized  it,  and  applied  a  few  particles  of  it  to  a 
dangerous  wound ;  no  sooner  had  it  touched  the  wound  than 
it  was  healed.  Thus  the  Great  Spirit  taught  the  Indian  the 
nature  of  medicinal  plants,  and  directed  him  where  they  were 
to  be  feund,  when  and  how  used. 

MEDICINE  LEGENDS. 

The  two  above  are  the  legends  concerning  the  principal 
medicines  used  among  the  Iroquois.  The  ancient  manner  of 
administering  them,  was  to  take  a  small  wooden  goblet  and  go 
to  a  rurming  stream,  dipping  toward  the  way  which  the  stream 
ran,  fill  the  goblet  and  return,  place  it  near  the  fire  with  some 
tobacco  near  it ;  a  prayer  is  offered  while  tobacco  is  thrown 
upon  the  fire,  that  the  words  may  ascend  upon  the  smoke. 

The  medicine  is  placed  on  a  piece  of  skin  near  the  goblet, 
being  very  finely  pulverized,  is  taken  up  with  a  wooden  spoon 
and  dusted  upon  the  water  in  three  spots,  in  the  form  of  a  trian- 
gle, thus — #%  The  medicine  man  then  looks  at  it  critically, 
if  it  spreads  over  the  surface  of  the  water  and  whirls  about,  it 
is  a  sign  that  the  invalid  will  be  healed  ;  if  it  sinks  directly  in 
the  places  where  it  was  put,  there  is  no  hope,  the  sick  person 
must  die  and  the  whole  is  thrown  away. 

Once  in  six  months  there  is  a  great  feast  made,  at  the  hunt- 
ing season  in  fall  and  spring.  On  thenfght  of  the  feast  as  soon 
(28) 


226  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

as  it  is  dark,  all  who  are  present  assemble  in  one  room,  where 
no  light  or  fire  is  allowed  to  burn,  and  placing  the  medicine 
near  the  covered  embers,  the  tobacco  by  its  ssde,  they  com- 
mence singing,  which  proclaims  that  the  crows  are  coming  to 
their  feast,  and  also  many  other  birds  and  various  animals,  the 
brains  of  whose  species  form  part  of  their  medicine.  At  the 
end  of  the  song  some  one  imitates  the  caw  of  a  crow,  the  songs 
of  the  birds,  the  howls  of  the  wolf,  etc.,  as  if  the  animals  were 
present. 

Three  times  in  the  course  of  the  night  they  offer  a  prayer, 
while  throwing  tobacco  on  the  smothered  flames,  asking  that 
the  people  may  be  protected  from  all  harm,  and  if  they  re- 
ceive wounds  that  the  medicine  may  be  effectual  in  healing 
them. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  ceremonies  the  doors  are  lock- 
ed, and  no  one  is  allowed  to  enter  or  leave  the  house  while 
they  continue;  neither  is  any  one  allowed;  to  sleep,  as  that 
would  spoil  the  medicine.  The  feast  begins  just  before  the 
dawn  of  day.  The  master  of  ceremonies  first  takes  a  deer's 
'head,  bites  off  a  piece,  imitates  the  cry  of  a  crow  and  passes 
the  head  of  the  animal  to  another,  who  does  the  same,  till  all 
have  tasted  and  imitated  the  peculiar  note  of  some  bird  or1 
animal. 

As  soon  as  it  begins  to  be  light  the  presiding  officer  takes  a 
duck's  bill,  and  dipping  it  full  of  the  medicine,  gives  it  to  each 
one  present,  who  puts  it  in  a  bit  of  skin  and  wraps  it  in  several 
coverings,  keeps  it  carefully  until  the  next  semi-annual  feast. 
The  skin  of  a  panther  is  preferred  for  the  first  envelope  if  it 
can  be  obtained. 

Those  who  take  part  in  the  ceremonies  are  medicine  men. 
Chiefs  are  allowed  to  be  present ;  also,  any  who  have  been 
cured  of  any  disease  by  the  medicine. 

Without  the  building  tin:  \ouvu;  j><"]>h-  gathei  tor  merri- 
ment, and  the  fragments  of  the  feast  are  given  to  them  when 
it  is  finished. 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  22/ 

When  the  medicine  described  in  the  second  legend  is  used, 
the  tune  is  sung  which  was  heard  at  its  discovery,  both  at  the 
ceremonies  of  the  feast  and  the  time  of  administering  it. 

They  seem  to  think  the  ceremonies  effectual  in  making  the 
medicinal  qualities  of  the  compound  imperishable.  Each  med- 
icine man  has  a  large  quantity  which  he  keeps  in  a  bag,  and 
in  order  not  to  exhaust  the  whole,  now  and  then,  adds  pulver- 
ized corn  roots,  squash  vines,  etc.,  and  whenever  it  is  adminis- 
tered several  persons  assemble  and  sing.  Both  kinds  are  con- 
sidered especially  useful  in  healing  wounds  received  in  war. 

In  reading  the  first  legend  there  will  be  seen  very  humorous 
allusions  to  the  habits  of  the  pigeon,  heron  and  crow,  and  there 
is  a  curious  invention  inspiring  faith  in  the  means  used  in  heal- 
ing, I  have  seen  many  who  affirmed  that  they  had  tested 
the  wonderful  powers  of  each. 


CIVILIZATION. 


Whatever  may  be  the  theories  on  the  subject  of  Indian  civ- 
ilization, I  think  it  must  be  evident  that  the  present  posi- 
tion of  the  Tuscarora  nation  on  their  reservation,  is  extremely 
favorable  for  the  attainment  of  that  object.  They  can  no  longer 
live  by  the  chase.  It  is  not  now  with  them  as  it  was  with  the  In- 
dians on  the  Delaware,  when  \Villiam  Penn  said,  "  their  pleas- 
ures feed  them — hunting,  fishing  and  fowling."  Surrounded 
by  the  white  settlements,  placed  in  the  vicinity  of  cities  and 
towns,  they  are  obliged  to  apply  to  agriculture  and  other 
modes  of  labor,  for  the  means  of  subsistence.  They  are  now 
building  good  houses,  planting  orchards  of  various  kinds  of 


228  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS   AND   LAWS 

fruit,  raising  stock,  etc.;  they  have  horses  and  carriages.  Ar- 
tificial wants — the  very  pillars  of  civilization — are  increasing 
upon  them.  These  require  exertion,  call  into  action  their  men- 
tal faculties,  force  them  to  provide  for  coming  exigencies,  grad- 
ually tames  down  their  wild  nature,  and  prepares  them  for  that 
subdued,  but  improved  state,  in  which  alone  is  to  be  found  the 
highest  point  of  cultivation,  as  well  as  the  highest  enjoyment 
intended  for  man  in  this  probationary  world. 

If  this  experiment  fails,  we  may,  with  melancholy,  certainly 
look  forward  to  a  period  when  this  futile  branch  of  the  human 
family  shall  be  swept  into  oblivion,  when  the  fine  sounding 
names  of  the  lofty  mountains,  the  noble  rivers,  the  splendid 
cataracts,  the  great  inland  seas  and  the  silvery  lakes  will  be 
the  sole  memorials  of  a  race,  that,  only  two  or  three  centuries 
ago,  covered  the  face  of  this  vast  continent. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  this  experiment  should  succeed,  it  will 
open  a  door  of  hope  for  the  preservation,  or  if  we  may  use  the 
term,  physical  salvation  of  this  apparently  doomed  race.  It 
may  encourage  the  philanthropist  to  stretch  forth  his  hand 
for  the  protection  of  the  yet  remaining  tribes  beyond  the  Mis- 
sissippi ;  and  the  child  may  already  be  born,  who  will  live  to 
behold  that  vast  wilderness  thickly  dotted  over  with  Indian 
communities,  with  towns,  villages,  farms  and  manufacturing 
hamlets.  They  may  live  to  see  the  hoe  and  the  spade  take 
the  place  of  the  bow  and  the  tomahawk ;  the  lion  and  the 
lamb  feeding  together ;  the  sword  beaten  into  a  plowshare, 
and  the  spear  into  a  pruning  hook. 


OF   THE   IROQUOIS,  OR   SIX   NATIONS.  22$ 


DOMESTIC 


In  the  first  place,  to  women,  in  every  well  regulated  society, 
should  be  committed  the  management  of  the  families  and  the 
business  connected  with  the  household  concerns,  and  they 
should  be  qualified  to  exercise  a  salutary  influence  within  their 
appropriate  sphere. 

Secondly,  as  mothers  they  are  responsible  for  the  nursing 
and  rearing  of  their  children  and  for  the  proper  sustenance  of 
them  in.  early  life.  They  are  also  responsible  for  the  habits  of 
their  children,  including  cleanliness  and  general  propriety  of 
behavior. 

A  sensible,  judicious  mother  can  greatly  control  her  children 
in  these  matters  ;  she  can  make  them  modest  or  impertinent, 
ingenuous  or  deceitful,  fearful  or  intrepid.  The  germ  of  all  these 
traits  of  character  exist  in  childhood,  and  a  mother  can  repress 
or  strengthen  them. 

Thirdly,  a  mother  is  responsible  for  the  principles  her  chil- 
dren may  entertain  in  early  life,  and  it  is  for  her  to  say  wheth- 
er they  shall  be  imbued  with  sentiments  of  honesty,  industry 
and  morality,  or  with  those  of  a  contrary  character — fraud, 
idleness  and  dishonesty. 

She  is,  to  a  very  considerable  extent  responsible  for  the  tem- 
per and  disposition  of  her  children.  Constitutionally  he  may- 
be irritable  or  revengeful,  but  she  may  correct  or  repress  these 
passions  and  in  their  places  instil  better  feelings. 

Lastly,  and  above  all,  she  is  responsible  for  the  religious  ed- 
ucation of  her  children.  The  beginning  of  wisdom  is  a  rever- 


230  LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 

ence  for  our  creator,  and  obedience  to  his  requirings  ;  and  this 
is  within  the  power  of  every  good  mother  to  inculcate  and 
cherish  in  the  hearts  of  her  children  ;  at  the  same  time  it  is 
the  most  important  duty  she  owes  them,  and  their  usefulness 
and  character  throughout  life  may  depend  upon  her  correct 
and  faithful  discharge  of  it. 

If  these  be  the  appropriate  duties  and  obligations  of  a  moth- 
er, will  it  not  be  vain  to  expect  that  the  Indian  warrior  will  be 
qualified  for  that  station,  or  that  they  will  be  in  a  condition  to 
give  a  proper  education  to  their  children,  or  train  them  up  in 
habits  or  principles  that  will  render  them  intelligent  and  good 
citizens,  whilst  they  themselves  are  left  in  ignorance,  and  while, 
instead  of  devoting  their  time  and  attention  to  his  discharge 
of  these  high  moral  duties,  they  are  held  in  a  state  of  servile 
degradation  and  compelled  to  perform  all  the  menial  drudger- 
ies of  life  ? 

Women  are  created  by  Providence  equal  to  men  in  every- 
thing except  mere  physical  strength.  Generally,  they  have 
much  more  discretion,  and  certainly  are  far  more  virtuous. 
They  were  designed  to  exercise  a  conservative  influence  in  so- 
ciety and  should  be  placed  in  a  position  which  would  enable 
them  to  fulfill  this  most  important  office  ;  for  history  confirms 
the  deeply  interesting  fact,  that  no  people  ever  yet  were  ele- 
vated to  the  rank  of  civilization,  while  their  females  were  held 
in  a  servile  condition,  and  we  are  also  admonished  by  experi- 
ence, that  no  community  can  be  virtuous  and  happy,  which  is 
not  chastened  by  the  controlling  example  of  female  delicacy 
and  refinement. 

These  views  are  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  the  Tus- 
caroras,  in  the  hope  that  they  will  receive  their  serious  atten- 
tion, and  lead  to  the  adoption  of  an  improved  and  proper  di- 
vision of  the  employments,  both  of  the  men  and  women  of  the 
nation  ;  especially  to  the  extension  of  more  care  towards  the 
suitable  education  of  their  females,  and  the  consequent  eleva- 
tion of  the  Tuscarora  women  to  their  appropriate  station  and, 


'•OQUOIS,    OR   SIX    NATIONS.  J^I 

dignity,  as  the  wives  and  rational  companions  of  intelligent 
and  educated  husbands. 

In  my  communications,  I  have  not  felt  it  my  duty  to  call 
your  attention  to  any  particular  forms  or  observances  in  rela- 
tion to  your  religious  obligations.  I  believe  that  God  is  a 
spirit,  and  true  worship  to  Him  can  only  be  performed  in  spirit 
and  in  truth.  I  also  believe  that  however  diversified  the  hu- 
man family  may  be  in  regard  to  the  circumstances  in  which 
they  may  be  placed,  all  stand  equally  before  their  creator,  as 
objects  of  His  care  and  personal  regard  ;  in  His  great  mercy  He 
visits  us  with  remorse  and  sadness,  when  we  have  wilfully  done 
what  we  know  to  be  wrong,  and  which,  if  persisted  in,  might 
lead  us  to  destruction  ;  and  it  is  He  who  fills  our  hearts  with 
peace  and  consolation  when  we  do  that  which  we  believe  to 
be  right.  His  goodness  is  not  limited  to  any  people  or  place, 
nor  is  that  adoration  which  is  due  to  Him  confined  within  tem- 
ples built  with  human  hands,  or  restricted  to  any  particular 
form ;  He  is  everywhere  present  and  in  every  place  ;  the  in- 
cense of  a  pious,  devoted  heart,  may  acceptably  be  offered  to 
Him  in  the  rude  homes  of  the  red  man. 

The  plants  of  the  earth  are  not  more  directly  under  the  in- 
fluences of  the  natural  light  and  warmth  by  which  they  are 
nourished,  than  is  the  immortal  soul  or  spirit  of  man  under  the 
immediate  care  and  sustaining  support  of  the  divine  presence, 
which  is  ajways  near  and  round  about  us  ;  for  it  is  in*  Him  we 
and  move,  and  have  our  existence. 

Deeply  impressed  with  the  certainty  of  these  truths,  and  ful- 
ly believing  He  will  never  fail  to  lead  in  the  paths  of  safety 
and  peace,  those  who  sincerely  look  to  Him  for  instruction  and 
faithfully  follow  His  counsel,  I  recommend  you,  with  myself, 
carefully  to  attend  to  His  manifestations  of  light  and  truth 
upon  our  minds,  which  will  never  deceive  nor  mslead,  but,  if 
obeyed,  wisely  conduct  us  through  the  dangers  of  this  life,  and 
finally  will  prepare  us  for  a  happy  admission  into  the  realms 
ternal  rest. 


LEGENDS,  TRADITIONS   AND    LAWS 


Osteological  Remains. 


"  In  the  town  of  Cambria,  six  miles  west  of  Lockport,  a  Mr. 
Hammon,  who  was  employed  with  his  boy  in  hoeing  corn,  in 
1824,  observed  some  bones  of  a  child,  exhumed.  No  farther 
thought  was  bestowed  upon  the  subject  for  a  time,  for 
the  plain  of  the  Ridge  was  supposed  to  have  been  the  site  of 
an  Indian  village,  and  this  was  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of 
some  child  who  had  been  recently  buried  there.  Eli  Bruce, 
hearing  of  the  circumstance,  proposed  to  Mr.  H.  that  they 
should  repair  to  the  spot,  with  suitable  instruments,  and  en- 
deavor to  find  some  relics.  The  soil  was  a  light  loam,  which 
would  be  dry  and  preserve  bones  for  centuries  without  decay. 
A  search  enabled  them  to  come  to  a  pit  but  a  slight  distance 
from  the  surface.  The  top  of  the  pit  was  covered  with  small 
slabs  of  the  Medina  sandstone,  and  was  twenty-four  feet  square, 
four  and  a  half  feet  deep,  planes  agreeing  with  the  four  cardi- 
nal points.  It  was  filled  with  human  bones  of  both  sexes  and 
ages.  T&ey  dug  down  at  one  extremity  and  found  the  same 
layers  to" extend  to  the  bottom,  which  was  the  dry  loam,  and 
from  their  calculations,  they  deduced  that  at  least  four  thous- 
and souls  had  perished  in  one  great  massacre.  In  one  skull 
two  flint  arrow-heads  were  found,  and  many  had  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  fractured  and  cleft  open  by  a  sudden  blow. 
They  were  piled  in  regular  layers,  but  with  no  regard  to  size 
or  sex.  Pieces  of  pottery  were  picked  up  in  the  pit,  and  had 
also  been  plowed  up  in  the  field  adjacent.  Traces  of 
council  house  were  plainly  discernable.  For,  in  an  ol 
square,  the  soil  was  pdbr,  as  if  it  had  been  cultivated,  till  the 


OF  THE   IROQUOIS,  OR  SIX   NATIONS.  233 

whites  broke  it  up,  and  where  the  logs  of  the  house  had  de- 
cayed, was  a  strip  of  rich  mould.  A  maple  tree,  over  the  pit, 
being  cut  down,  two  hundred  and  fifty  concentric  circles  were 
counted,  making  the  mound  to  be  A.  D.  1574.  It  has  been 
supposed  by  the  villagers  that  the  bones  were  deposited  there 
before  the  discovery  of  America,  but  the  finding  of  some  metal 
tools  with  a  French  stamp,  placed  the  date  within  our  period. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  persons  a  day  visited  this  spot  the  first 
season,  and  carried'  off  portions  of  the  bones.  They  are  now 
nearly  all  gone  and  the  pit  plowed  over.  Will  any  antiquarian 
inform  us,  if  possible,  why  these  bones  were  placed  here  ?  To 
what  tribe  do  they  belong?  When  did  such  a  massacre 
occur  ?" 

The  above  is  taken  from  the  writings  of  Mr.  Schoolscraft. 
On  account  of  the  questions  above,  I  propose  to  give  a  tradi- 
tion, (which  the  Tuscaroras  have  preserved,)  to  give  the  anti- 
quarians and  critics  a  question  to  solve.  Was  the  great  massa- 
cre above  made  in  the  circumstance  of  the  tradition  below,  to 
wit :  There  was  a  settlement  or  Indian  nation  where  appeared 
several  white  men  under  the  cloak  of  missionaries,  (the  reason 
I  use  the  term  cloak  is  by  the  way  it  terminated),  and  preached 
to  them  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  great  love  evinced 
by  the  Father  in  sending  his  only  son  to  suffer  and  die  on  the 
cross  to  redeem  the  red  children  of  nature,  as  well  as  the  pale 
faces,  from  their  degredation,  shame  and  woe,  to  that  of  end- 
less felicity  beyond  the  shores  of  time.  And  that  they  wished 
to  erect  a  house  of  worship  in  their  midst,  in  which  they  might 
do  their  oblation  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  that  if  they  embraced 
the  gospel  they  would  have  annuities  from  the  government,  to 
all  of  which  the  simple  people  of  the  forest  made  their  assent. 
They  immediately  went  to  work,  dug  for  tne  cellar,  and  erect- 
ed the  building  on  abutments  of  wood,  and  alleged  that  they 
would  finish  the  cellar  afterwards.  When  the  chapel  was  fin- 
ished the  Indians  began  to  worship  in  it.  Now  the  time  of  the 
annuity  arrived.  The  Indians  were  told  to  all  congregate  and 


234  LEGENDS,   TRADITIONS  AND   LAWS 

get  into  the  church,  men,  women  and  children,  and  all  those 
who  refused  to  enter,  should  be  omitted  in  the  distribution  of 
the  annuity.  Consequently  the  building  was  entered  by  them 
and  filled  jammed  full.  But  there  were  two  suspecting  Indians 
who  kept  a  proper  distance  away,  ambushed,  to  see  the  result. 
After  it  was  thought  all  had  entered,  there  was  a  company  of 
soldiers  with  guns  and  burning  faggots,  surrounded  the  build- 
ing and  set  it  on  fire  on  all  sides,  after  they  had  fastened  the 
door.  In  this  condition  they  all  perished  within  the  flames. 
I  will  not  make  any  attempt  to  give  a  sketch  or  in  any  way 
write  in  words  the  horrors  and  heart-rendings  cries  and  moans 
of  the  dying  children  of  nature  in  the  flames,  through  a  dis- 
guise of  sheep's  clothing,  but  will  leave  it  to  the  conjecture  of 
the  reader. 

After  the  flames  had  subsided,  these  two  ludians  repaired  to 
the  doomed  spot,  and  found  a  heap  of  bones  hob-nob,  and  they 
observed  that  some  of  the  skulls  and  bones  of  the  different 
parts  of  the  body  were  fractured  and  broke  open,  supposed  to 
have  been,  done  by  the  falling  timbers  of  the  burning  house. 
It  is  said,  "in  one  skull,  two  flint  arrow-heads  were  found." 
How  easy  for  the  artifice  of  the  white  men  that  accomplished 
the  massacre  in  the  manner  they  did,  to  have  sunk  these  two 
flint  arrows  into  one  of  those  skulls,  to  leave  the  conjecture  in 
after  times  to  have  been  done  by  an  Indian  war. 

Mr.  C.  P.  Turner,  with  an  honorable  age  of  72  years,  in  1878, 
told  me  that  he  visited  the  deposit  of  these  bones,  the  next 
day  after  they  were  uncovered,  saw  the  skull  with  the  two  flint 
arrows  in  it,  and  saw  the  great  deposit  of  bones  in  this  mound, 
and  also  said  the  pile  was  in  hap-hazard,  and  not  "  in  regular 
layers,"  as  stated  above.  He  also  saw  bones  which  indicated 
being  those  of  a  child  about  20  inches  in  height. 

The  Tuscaroras  who  preserve  this  tradition  are  located  in  the 
vicinity  in  which  this  mound  of  bones  were  found.  All  histo- 
rians are  very  cautious  to  leave  out  or  omit  from  the  pages  of 
their  history,  any  circumstance  in  the  nature  of  the  above  tra- 
dition. 


27 


''MmM^*, 

)ESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

CIRCULATION  DE 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


REC'D  CIRC  DEPT 

MAY   1  l'?434 

fj    !         •;>         ' 

REC.  C1R.    JAM    5  76 

OT 

REC.  CIR.APR  27  "7 

? 

•     AilG  2-1380 

LD  21-32nir-3,'74 
(R7057slO)476— A-32 


General  Library 
University  of  California 

Rorkelev 


YC  27835 


M123187 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


-X    I 


